Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID)
Jessica Addai
Madhu UmashankarPd.8
AP Biology Final
Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID)
Severe combined immunodeficiency also known as SCID is a rare inherited immunodeficiency disorder which is caused by defects in one’s genes. SCID exposes life threatening infection through dangerous viruses, bacteria, and fungi to the human body which could possibly lead to death or permanent harm to one’s health. SCID is therefore known as the "boy in the bubble" syndrome because through the possibilities of exposure to different fatal infections, the immunodeficiency disorder has the ability to restrict one from direct contact with his or her environment, causing isolation to occur. Due to simple everyday environmental factors such as germs, …show more content…
As of now, there are multiple types of ways in which SCID can be treated such as: Bone marrow transplant, Enzyme replacement therapy (mostly for ADA-SCID, which replaces enzymes which would help their immune systems to recover), and Gene therapy (discovered to be successful on April 3, 2002, on a boy with X-SCID by replacing the abnormal gene with a normal one). Ever since 1968, the bone marrow transplant has been the most common and best treatment for SCID; according to research, “A bone marrow transplant involves taking cells that are normally present in bone marrow (the center of bones that produce and store blood cells), and giving them back to the child with SCID or to another person”(Telsa). Through the bone marrow transplant, the old bone marrow is destroyed by high doses of chemotherapy, which is then replaced with new bone marrows. The bone marrow transplant is effective because it improves the child’s immune system because of the new healthy bone marrow cells in the system that is capable of protecting them from infections, causing the child’s body to fight infections better. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center scientists were the first to begin with the development of the bone marrow transplant in order to different blood cancers. The development of the treatment was led by Dr. Donnall Thomas whose goal in his new discovery was to use radiation and chemotherapy to destroy the infected bone marrow, and replace it with a healthy bone marrow from a healthy patient in order to make cancer-free blood and immune system. The team of Dr. Thomas used this new technique on multiple patients and ended up having a 16-percent long time survival rate
Madhu UmashankarPd.8
AP Biology Final
Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID)
Severe combined immunodeficiency also known as SCID is a rare inherited immunodeficiency disorder which is caused by defects in one’s genes. SCID exposes life threatening infection through dangerous viruses, bacteria, and fungi to the human body which could possibly lead to death or permanent harm to one’s health. SCID is therefore known as the "boy in the bubble" syndrome because through the possibilities of exposure to different fatal infections, the immunodeficiency disorder has the ability to restrict one from direct contact with his or her environment, causing isolation to occur. Due to simple everyday environmental factors such as germs, …show more content…
As of now, there are multiple types of ways in which SCID can be treated such as: Bone marrow transplant, Enzyme replacement therapy (mostly for ADA-SCID, which replaces enzymes which would help their immune systems to recover), and Gene therapy (discovered to be successful on April 3, 2002, on a boy with X-SCID by replacing the abnormal gene with a normal one). Ever since 1968, the bone marrow transplant has been the most common and best treatment for SCID; according to research, “A bone marrow transplant involves taking cells that are normally present in bone marrow (the center of bones that produce and store blood cells), and giving them back to the child with SCID or to another person”(Telsa). Through the bone marrow transplant, the old bone marrow is destroyed by high doses of chemotherapy, which is then replaced with new bone marrows. The bone marrow transplant is effective because it improves the child’s immune system because of the new healthy bone marrow cells in the system that is capable of protecting them from infections, causing the child’s body to fight infections better. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center scientists were the first to begin with the development of the bone marrow transplant in order to different blood cancers. The development of the treatment was led by Dr. Donnall Thomas whose goal in his new discovery was to use radiation and chemotherapy to destroy the infected bone marrow, and replace it with a healthy bone marrow from a healthy patient in order to make cancer-free blood and immune system. The team of Dr. Thomas used this new technique on multiple patients and ended up having a 16-percent long time survival rate