People who experience frequent, severe or rare and unusual infections, such as recurrent pneumonias, sinus infections, ear infections, skin and soft tissue infections, yeast infections, invasive fungal infections, mycobacterial infections, shingles and other herpes virus infections, might suffer from primary immunodeficiency syndromes. Patients with primary immunodeficiency syndromes often suffer from autoimmunity involving their colon (colitis), liver (hepatitis), thyroid or adrenal gland, as well as anemia, thrombocytopenia (low platelet count), leukopenia (low white blood cell count), hematologic malignancies, skin rashes and more.
Patients with primary immunodeficiency disorders (PID) may benefit from an evaluation that leads to a diagnosis that would help better manage their medical condition. Washington University Allergy and Immunology physicians will work with you to develop the right plan to identify the cause of your immune problems, and the best ways to reduce the frequency and severity of your infections and your autoimmunity.
We have three allergy and immunology clinics in the St. Louis Metro area. You can also visit our Adult Primary Immunodeficiency Clinic at our downtown Taylor Avenue Building Extension location, which offers the most up-to-date, cutting-edge treatments.
What can you expect during your visit?
Together, we will review your history and determine if your infections and other medical problems fit the pattern of a primary immunodeficiency. Your first visit might include bloodwork, imaging such as a chest X-Ray or CT scan, lung function testing, and genetic testing.
After performing diagnostic tests to understand why you are having recurrent or severe infections etc., we will work together to find the right treatment. In addition to immunoglobulin replacement therapy (IVIg), we might offer antibiotic prophylaxis, immunomodulators and in rare cases, a hematopoietic bone marrow transplant.
We will help you understand what it means to have a PID, but also take the time to help you understand how PID affects your life and ensure that the treatments we recommend are just right for you. We work with our partner specialists at Washington University to provide a multi-disciplinary approach to your care.
Ofer Zimmerman, MD, currently sees adult primary immunodeficiency patients and patients with suspected PID on Tuesday afternoon every week at the Taylor Avenue Building Extension.