Immunoglobulins Health Dictionary

Immunologic proteins, usually made from immunoglobulins, that are capable of binding to, and rendering inactive, foreign substances that have entered the skin envelope and have been deemed dangerous. They may be synthesized anew in the presence of a previously encountered substance (antigen); they may be present in small amounts at all times in the bloodstream; or they may be present in the tissues in a more primitive form designed to react to a broad spectrum of potential antigens. The latter may be responsible for some allergies.... antibody

A term generally used to describe an adverse reaction by the body to any substance ingested by the affected individual. Strictly, allergy refers to any reactions incited by an abnormal immunological response to an ALLERGEN, and susceptibility has a strong genetic component. Most allergic disorders are linked to ATOPY, the predisposition to generate the allergic antibody immunoglobulin E (IgE) to common environmental agents (see ANTIBODIES; IMMUNOGLOBULINS). Because IgE is able to sensitise MAST CELLS (which play a part in in?ammatory and allergic reactions) anywhere in the body, atopic individuals often have disease in more than one organ. Since the allergic disorder HAY FEVER was ?rst described in 1819, allergy has moved from being a rare condition to one a?icting almost one in two people in the developed world, with substances such as grass and tree pollen, house-dust mite, bee and wasp venom, egg and milk proteins, peanuts, antibiotics, and other airborne environmental pollutants among the triggering factors. Increasing prevalence of allergic reactions has been noticeable during the past two decades, especially in young people with western lifestyles.

A severe or life-threatening reaction is often termed ANAPHYLAXIS. Many immune mechanisms also contribute to allergic disorders; however, adverse reactions to drugs, diagnostic materials and other substances often do not involve recognised immunological mechanisms and the term ‘hypersensitivity’ is preferable. (See also IMMUNITY.)

Adverse reactions may manifest themselves as URTICARIA, wheezing or di?culty in breathing owing to spasm of the BRONCHIOLES, swollen joints, nausea, vomiting and headaches. Severe allergic reactions may cause a person to go into SHOCK. Although symptoms of an allergic reaction can usually be controlled, treatment of the underlying conditon is more problematic: hence, the best current approach is for susceptible individuals to ?nd out what it is they are allergic to and avoid those agents. For some people, such as those sensitive to insect venom, IMMUNOTHERAPY or desensitisation is often e?ective. If avoidance measures are unsuccessful and desensitisation ine?ective, the in?ammatory reactions can be controlled with CORTICOSTEROIDS, while the troublesome symptoms can be treated with ANTIHISTAMINE DRUGS and SYMPATHOMIMETICS. All three types of drugs may be needed to treat severe allergic reactions.

One interesting hypothesis is that reduced exposure to infective agents, such as bacteria, in infancy may provoke the development of allergy in later life.

Predicted developments in tackling allergic disorders, according to Professor Stephen Holgate writing in the British Medical Journal (22 January 2000) include:

Identi?cation of the principal environmental factors underlying the increase in incidence, to enable preventive measures to be planned.

Safe and e?ective immunotherapy to prevent and reverse allergic disease.

Treatments that target the protein reactions activated by antigens.

Identi?cation of how IgE is produced in the body, and thus of possible ways to inhibit this process.

Identi?cation of genes affecting people’s susceptibility to allergic disease.... allergy

A lower-than-normal amount of the protein GAMMA-GLOBULIN in the blood. The origin may be genetic – several types are inherited – or an acquired defect (for instance, some lymphomas cause the condition). Gamma-globulin largely comprises antibodies (IMMUNOGLOBULINS) so de?ciency of the protein reduces an individual’s natural resistance to infection (see IMMUNOLOGY).... hypogammaglobulinaemia

Gamma-globulin describes a group of proteins present in the blood PLASMA. They are characterised by their rate of movement in an electrical ?eld, and can be separated by the process of ELECTROPHORESIS. Most gamma-globulins are IMMUNOGLOBULINS. Gamma-globulin injection provides passive or active immunity against HEPATITIS A. (See also GLOBULIN; IMMUNITY; IMMUNOLOGY.)... gamma-globulin

The ?uid which separates from blood, LYMPH, and other body ?uids when clotting occurs (see COAGULATION; HAEMORRHAGE). PLASMA is the ?uid of the blood, including FIBRIN, which carries the circulating blood cells and PLATELETS.

Serum is a clear, yellowish ?uid containing around 7 per cent proteins and globulins, small quantities of salts, fat, sugar, urea, and uric acid, and even smaller quantities of immunoglobulins, essential in the prevention of disease (see IMMUNITY; IMMUNOLOGY). The serum given in the commonly used vaccines is generally derived from horses’ blood, after they have been subjected to a long course of treatment.... serum

A type of immunodeficiency disorder in which there is almost complete absence of B-lymphocytes and immunoglobulins in the blood.... agammaglobulinaemia

A preparation containing antibodies (also known as immunoglobulins) that combine with specific antigens (foreign proteins), usually components of microorganisms, leading to deactivation or destruction of the microorganisms.

Antiserum is usually used, along with immunization, as an emergency treatment when someone has been exposed to a dangerous infection such as rabies and has not previously been immunized.... antiserum

A thick, yellowish fluid produced by the breasts during the first few days after childbirth. Colostrum is then replaced by breast milk. Colostrum contains less fat and sugar but more minerals and protein than breast milk. It also has a high content of lymphocytes and immunoglobulins, which help to protect the baby from infection.... colostrum

The abbreviation for erythrocyte sedimentation rate, which is the rate at which erythrocytes (red blood cells) sink to the bottom of a test tube. The is increased if the level of fibrinogen (a type of protein) in the blood is raised. Fibrinogen is raised in response to a range of illnesses, including inflammation, especially when this is caused by infection or by an autoimmune disease. The is also increased if levels of immunoglobulins are very high, as occurs in multiple myeloma. is therefore useful for helping to diagnose these conditions as well as in monitoring their treatment.... esr

The body’s defence against foreign substances such as bacteria, viruses and parasites. Immunity also protects against drugs, toxins and cancer cells. It is partly non-speci?c – that is, it does not depend on previous exposure to the foreign substance. For example, micro-organisms are engulfed and inactivated by polymorphonuclear LEUCOCYTES as a ?rst line of defence before speci?c immunity has developed.

Acquired immunity depends upon the immune system recognising a substance as foreign the ?rst time it is encountered, storing this information so that it can mount a reaction the next time the substance enters the body. This is the usual outcome of natural infection or prophylactic IMMUNISATION. What happens is that memory of the initiating ANTIGEN persists in selected lymphocytes (see LYMPHOCYTE). Further challenge with the same antigen stimulates an accelerated, more vigorous secondary response by both T- and B-lymphocytes (see below). Priming the immune system in this manner forms the physiological basis for immunisation programmes.

Foreign substances which can provoke an immune response are termed ‘antigens’. They are usually proteins but smaller molecules such as drugs and chemicals can also induce an immune response. Proteins are taken up and processed by specialised cells called ‘antigenpresenting cells’, strategically sited where microbial infection may enter the body. The complex protein molecules are broken down into short amino-acid chains (peptides – see PEPTIDE) and transported to the cell surface where they are presented by structures called HLA antigens (see HLA SYSTEM).

Foreign peptides presented by human leucocyte antigen (HLA) molecules are recognised by cells called T-lymphocytes. These originate in the bone marrow and migrate to the THYMUS GLAND where they are educated to distinguish between foreign peptides, which elicit a primary immune response, and self-antigens (that is, constituents of the person themselves) which do not. Non-responsiveness to self-antigens is termed ‘tolerance’ (see AUTOIMMUNITY). Each population or clone of T-cells is uniquely responsive to a single peptide sequence because it expresses a surface molecule (‘receptor’) which ?ts only that peptide. The responsive T-cell clone induces a speci?c response in other T-and B-lymphocyte populations. For example, CYTOTOXIC T-cells penetrate infected tissues and kill cells which express peptides derived from invading micro-organisms, thereby helping to eliminate the infection.

B-lymphocytes secrete ANTIBODIES which are collectively termed IMMUNOGLOBULINS (Ig)

– see also GAMMA-GLOBULIN. Each B-cell population (clone) secretes antibody uniquely speci?c for antigens encountered in the blood, extracellular space, and the LUMEN of organs such as the respiratory passages and gastrointestinal tract.

Antibodies belong to di?erent Ig classes; IgM antibodies are synthesised initially, followed by smaller and therefore more penetrative IgG molecules. IgA antibodies are adapted to cross the surfaces of mucosal tissues so that they can adhere to organisms in the gut, upper and lower respiratory passages, thereby preventing their attachment to the mucosal surface. IgE antibodies also contribute to mucosal defence but are implicated in many allergic reactions (see ALLERGY).

Antibodies are composed of constant portions, which distinguish antibodies of di?erent class; and variable portions, which confer unique antigen-binding properties on the product of each B-cell clone. In order to match the vast range of antigens that the immune system has to combat, the variable portions are synthesised under the instructions of a large number of encoding GENES whose products are assembled to make the ?nal antibody. The antibody produced by a single B-cell clone is called a monoclonal antibody; these are now synthesised and used for diagnostic tests and in treating certain diseases.

Populations of lymphocytes with di?erent functions, and other cells engaged in immune responses, carry distinctive protein markers. By convention these are classi?ed and enumerated by their ‘CD’ markers, using monoclonal antibodies speci?c for each marker.

Immune responses are in?uenced by cytokines which function as HORMONES acting over a short range to accelerate the activation and proliferation of other cell populations contributing to the immune response. Speci?c immune responses collaborate with nonspeci?c defence mechanisms. These include the COMPLEMENT SYSTEM, a protein-cascade reaction designed to eliminate antigens neutralised by antibodies and to recruit cell populations which kill micro-organisms.... immunity

Also called mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome, this disorder of unknown origin occurs mainly in children under ?ve and was ?rst described in Japan. It is characterised by high fever, conjunctivitis (see under EYE, DISORDERS OF), skin rashes and swelling of the neck glands. After about two weeks the skin from ?ngertips and toes may peel. The disease may last for several weeks before spontaneously resolving. It is possible that it is caused by an unusual immune response to INFECTION (see IMMUNITY).

Arteritis is a common complication and can result in the development of coronary artery aneurysms (see ANEURYSM) in up to 60 per cent of those affected. These aneurysms and even myocardial infarction (see HEART, DISEASES OF – Coronary thrombosis) are often detected after the second week of illness. The disease can be hard to diagnose as it mimics many childhood viral illnesses, especially in its early stages. The incidence in the UK is over 3 per 100,000 children under ?ve years of age.

Treatment Because of the danger of coronary artery disease, prompt treatment is important. This is with intravenous IMMUNOGLOBULINS and low-dose aspirin. To be e?ective, treatment must start in the ?rst week or so of the illness – a time when it is most di?cult to diagnose.... kawasaki disease

Any of a group of proteins that are insoluble in water but soluble in dilute salt solutions.

There are a number of globlulins in the blood, including immunoglobulins (also called antibodies).... globulin

The body’s defensive reaction to microorganisms, cancer cells, transplanted tissue, and other substances or materials that are recognized as antigenic or “foreign”.

The response consists of the production of cells called lymphocytes, substances called antibodies, or immunoglobulins, and other substances and cells that act to destroy the antigenic material.

(See also immune system.)... immune response

Proteins present in blood plasma, including albumin, blood clotting proteins, and immunoglobulins.... plasma proteins

any of a class of proteins, present in the blood *plasma, identified by their characteristic rate of movement in an electric field (see electrophoresis). Almost all gammaglobulins are *immunoglobulins. Injection of gammaglobulin provides temporary protection against *hepatitis A and reduces the incidence of coronary artery involvement in *Kawasaki disease. Infusions of gammaglobulin are used to treat immunodeficiencies or immune-mediated disorders, such as autoimmune haemolytic *anaemia or *idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. See also globulin.... gammaglobulin

An acute and potentially fatal disease, caused by a rhabdovirus called Lyssavirus, which affects the nervous system of animals, particularly carnivora, and may be communicated from them to humans. Infection from person to person is very rare, but those in attendance on a case should take precautions to avoid being bitten or allowing themselves to be contaminated by the patient’s saliva, as this contains the causative virus.

The disease is ENDEMIC in dogs and wolves in some countries; an EPIDEMIC may occasionally occur. It also occurs in foxes, coyotes and skunks, as well as in vampire bats. Thanks to QUARANTINE measures, since 1897 rabies has been rare in Great Britain, which still retains strict measures (the Rabies Act) to prevent the entry of infected animals into the country, including a six-month quarantine period and vaccination (see IMMUNISATION). This policy was relaxed somewhat in 2001 with the launch of the Pet Travel Scheme; this allows cats and dogs to enter the UK from speci?ed countries without the need for quarantine, as long as stringent conditions as to microchipping and vaccinations are met. Full details can be obtained from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural A?airs (DEFRA) or from a veterinary surgeon engaged in operating the scheme. Six months has to elapse between vaccination against rabies and a positive blood test before the ‘pet passport’ can be issued.

Rabies is highly infectious from the bite of an animal already affected, but the chance of infection from di?erent animals varies. Thus only about one person in every four bitten by rabid dogs contracts rabies, whilst the bites of rabid wolves and cats almost invariably produce the disease.

Symptoms In animals there are two types of the disease: mad rabies and dumb rabies. In the former, the dog (or other animal) runs about, snapping at objects and other animals, unable to rest; in the latter, which is also the ?nal stage of the mad type, the limbs become paralysed and the dog crawls about or lies still.

In humans the incubation period is usually 6–8 weeks, but may be as short as ten days or as long as two years. The disease begins with mental symptoms, the person becoming irritable, restless and depressed. Fever and DYSPHAGIA follow. The irritability passes into a form of MANIA and the victim has great di?culty in swallowing either food or drink.

Treatment The best treatment is, of course, preventive. Local treatment consists of immediate, thorough and careful cleansing of the wound-surfaces and surrounding skin. This is followed by a course of rabies vaccine therapy.

Only people bitten (or in certain circumstances, licked) by a rabid animal or by one thought to be infected with rabies need treatment; this is with rabies vaccine and antiserum and one of the IMMUNOGLOBULINS. A person previously vaccinated against rabies who is subsequently bitten by a rabid animal should be given three or four doses of the vaccine. The vaccine is also used to give protection to those liable to infection, such as kennel-workers and veterinary surgeons. Those who develop the disease require intensive care with ventilatory support, despite which the death rate is very high.... rabies

The rash produced by the sudden release of HISTAMINE in the skin. It is characterised by acute itching, redness and wealing which subsides within a few minutes or may persist for a day or more. Depending upon the cause, it may be localised or widespread and transient or constantly recurrent over years. It has many causes.

External injuries to the skin such as the sting of a nettle (‘nettle-rash’) or an insect bite cause histamine release from MAST CELLS in the skin directly. Certain drugs, especially MORPHINE, CODEINE and ASPIRIN, can have the same e?ect. In other cases, histamine release is caused by an allergic mechanism, mediated by ANTIBODIES of the immunoglobulin E (IgE) class – see IMMUNOGLOBULINS. Thus many foods, food additives and drugs (such as PENICILLIN) can cause urticaria. Massive release of histamine may affect mucous membranes – namely the tongue or throat – and can cause HYPOTENSION and anaphylactic shock (see ANAPHYLAXIS) which can occasionally be fatal.

Physical factors can cause urticaria. Heat, exercise and emotional stress may induce a singular pattern with small pinhead weals, but widespread ?ares of ERYTHEMA, activated via the AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM (CHOLINERGIC urticaria) may also occur.

Rarely, exposure to cold may have a smiilar e?ect (‘cold urticaria’) and anaphylactic shock following a dive into cold water in winter is occasionally fatal. The diagnosis of cold urticaria can be con?rmed by applying a block of ice to the arm which quickly induces a local weal.

Transient urticaria due to rubbing or even stroking the skin is common in young adults (DERMOGRAPHISM or factitious urticaria). More prolonged deep pressure induces delayed urticaria in other subjects. IgE-mediated urticaria is part of the atopic spectrum (see ATOPY, and SKIN, DISEASES OF – Dermatitis and eczema). Allergy to peanuts is particularly dangerous in young atopic subjects. Notwithstanding the many known causes, chronic urticaria of unknown cause is common and may have an autoimmune basis (see AUTOIMMUNE DISORDERS).

Treatment Causative factors must be removed. Topical therapy is ine?ective except for the use of calamine lotion, which reduces itching by cooling the skin. Oral ANTIHISTAMINES are the mainstay of treatment and are remarkably safe. Rarely, injection of ADRENALINE is needed as emergency treatment of massive urticaria, especially if the tongue and throat are involved, following by a short course of the oral steroid, prednisolone.

Angio-oedema is a variant of urticaria where massive OEDEMA involves subcutaneous tissues rather than the skin. It may have many causes but bee and wasp stings in sensitised subjects are particularly dangerous. There is also a rare hereditary form of angio-oedema. Acute airway obstruction due to submucosal oedema of the tongue or larynx is best treated with immediate intramuscular adrenaline and antihistamine. Rarely, TRACHEOSTOMY may be life-saving. Patients who have had two or more episodes can be taught self-injection with a preloaded adrenaline syringe.... urticaria

a disorder associated with proliferation of B lymphocytes producing heavy chains – one of the two types of polypeptide chains (the other being light chains) that make up the structure of immunoglobulins. It results in the production of abnormal immunoglobulins with distorted heavy chains and no light chains.... heavy-chain disease

a syndrome, mostly reported in Japanese males, consisting of polyneuropathy (see peripheral neuropathy), organomegaly, endocrine failure, M protein (immunoglobulins) in the plasma, and skin changes, such as thickening, hirsutism, or excess sweating. Each of the components occurs with varying consistency. The cause is not known but it is not thought to be autoimmune in nature.... poems syndrome

The red fluid that circulates in the body’s veins, arteries, and capillaries. Blood is pumped by the heart via the arteries to the lungs and all other tissues and is then returned to the heart in veins (see circulatory system). Blood is the body’s transport system and plays an important role in the defence against infection. An average adult has about 5 litres of blood.

Almost half of the volume of blood consists of blood cells; these include red blood cells (erythrocytes), which carry oxygen to tissues; white blood cells (leukocytes), which fight infection; and platelets (thrombocytes), which are involved in blood clotting. The remainder of the blood volume is a watery, strawcoloured fluid called plasma, which contains dissolved proteins, sugars, fats, salts, and minerals. Nutrients are transported in the blood to the tissues after absorption from the intestinal tract or after release from storage depots such as the liver. Waste products, including urea and bilirubin are carried in the plasma to the kidneys and liver respectively.

Plasma proteins include fibrinogen; which is involved in blood clotting; immunoglobulins (also called antibodies) and complement, which are part of the immune system; and albumin. Hormones are also transported in the blood to their target organs.... blood

Donated blood that is separated into its various components: red cells, white cells, platelets, and plasma (see blood donation). Each blood product has a specific lifespan and use in blood transfusion. Packed red cells (blood with most of the plasma removed) are used to treat patients with some forms of chronic anaemia and babies with haemolytic disease of the newborn. Washed red cells (with white blood cells and/or plasma proteins removed) are used when a person needs repeated transfusions because there is less risk of an allergy to any of the blood components developing.

Platelets may be given in transfusions for people with blood-clotting disorders. Patients who have life-threatening infections may be treated with granulocytes, a type of white blood cell. Fresh frozen plasma is used to correct many types of bleeding disorder because it contains all the clotting factors. Albumin, prepared from the plasma of whole blood, is used mainly to treat shock resulting from severe blood loss until compatible whole blood becomes available. Purified albumin preparations are used to treat nephrotic syndrome and chronic liver disease.

Concentrates of blood clotting factors and are used in the treatment of haemophilia and Christmas disease.

Immunoglobulins (also called antibodies), which are extracted from blood plasma, can be given by injection (see immunoglobulin injection) to protect people who are unable to produce their own antibodies or have already been exposed to an infectious agent, or to provide short-term protection against hepatitis A.

Immunoglobulins are given in large doses to treat certain autoimmune disorders.... blood products

A collection of cells and proteins that works to protect the body from harmful microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. It also plays a role in the control of cancer and is responsible for the phenomena of allergy, hypersensitivity, and rejection after transplant surgery.

The term innate immunity is given to the protection that we are born with, such as the skin and the mucous membranes that line the mouth, nose, throat, intestines, and vagina. It also includes antibodies, or immunoglobulins (protective proteins), that have been passed to the child from the mother. If microorganisms penetrate these defences, they encounter “cell-devouring” white blood cells called phagocytes, and other types of white cells, such as natural cellkilling (cytotoxic) cells. Microorganisms may also meet naturally produced substances (such as interferon) or a group of blood proteins called the complement system, which act to destroy the invading microorganisms.The 2nd part of the immune system, adaptive immunity, comes into play when the body encounters organisms that overcome the innate defences. The adaptive immune system responds specifically to each type of invading organism, and retains a memory of the invader so that defences can be rallied instantly in the future.

The adaptive immune system first must recognize part of an invading organism or tumour cell as an antigen (a protein that is foreign to the body). One of 2 types of response – humoral or cellular – is then mounted against the antigen.

Humoral immunity is important in the defence against bacteria. After a complex recognition process, certain B-lymphocytes multiply and produce vast numbers of antibodies that bind to antigens. The organisms bearing the antigens are then engulfed by phagocytes. Binding of antibody and antigen may activate the complement system, which increases the efficiency of the phagocytes.

Cellular immunity is particularly important in the defence against viruses, some types of parasites that hide within cells, and, possibly, cancer cells. It involves 2 types of T-lymphocyte: helper cells, which play a role in the recognition of antigens and activate the killer cells (the 2nd type of T-lymphocyte), which destroy the cells that have been invaded.

Disorders of the immune system include immunodeficiency disorders and allergy, in which the immune system has an inappropriate response to usually innocuous antigens such as pollen.

In certain circumstances, such as after tissue transplants, immunosuppressant drugs are used to suppress the immune system and thus prevent rejection of the donor tissue as a foreign organism.... immune system

n. a type of *antibody, formed against an allergen, that has special affinity for cell membranes and remains fixed in various tissues. Subsequent contact with the allergen causes damage to the tissues when the antigen-antibody reaction occurs. The damaged cells, particularly *mast cells, release histamine and serotonin, which are responsible for the local inflammation of an allergy or the very severe effects of anaphylactic shock (see anaphylaxis). Reagins belong to the IgE class of *immunoglobulins.... reagin

A type of protein found in blood and tissue fluids, also known as an antibody. Such proteins are produced by B-lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell), and their function is to bind to substances in the body that are recognized as foreign antigens. This binding is crucial for the destruction of antigenbearing microorganisms. Immunoglobulins also play a key role in allergies and hypersensitivity reactions.

Immunoglobulin G (IgG) is the major class of immunoglobulin of the 5 in the blood (IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG, and IgM). Its molecule consists of 2 parts: 1 binds to an antigen; the other binds to other cells, which then engulf the microorganisms bearing the antigen.

Immunoglobulins can be extracted from the blood of people who have recovered from certain infectious diseases and used for passive immunization.... immunoglobulin

Any one of a group of white blood cells that are of crucial importance to the immune system. There are 2 principal types of lymphocyte: B- and T-lymphocytes. B-lymphocytes produce immunoglobulins or antibodies, which attach themselves to antigens (proteins) on the surfaces of bacteria. This starts a process leading to the destruction of the bacteria. The T-lymphocytes comprise 3 main groups of cells: killer (cytotoxic) cells, helper cells, and suppressor cells. The killer T-lymphocytes attach to abnormal cells (for example, tumour cells, cells that have been invaded by viruses, and those in transplanted tissue) and release chemicals called lymphokines, which help to destroy the abnormal cells. Helper T-cells enhance the activities of the killer T-cells and the B-cells, and also control other aspects of the immune response. Suppressor T-cells act to “switch off” the immune response. Some lymphocytes do not participate directly in immune responses, but serve as a memory bank for antigens that have been encountered.... lymphocyte

Also called myelomatosis, multiple myeloma is a rare, cancerous condition in which plasma cells in the bone marrow proliferate uncontrollably and function incorrectly. It occurs in middle- to old age.

Plasma cells are a type of B-lymphocyte that produce immunoglobulins, which help protect against infection. In multiple myeloma, the proliferating plasma cells produce excessive amounts of one type of immunoglobulin, while production of other types is impaired. This makes infection more likely.Proliferation of the abnormal cells causes pain and destroys bone tissue.

Affected vertebrae may collapse and compress nerves, causing numbness or paralysis. Blood calcium levels increase as bone is destroyed, as may the level of one or more immunoglobulins. These changes in the blood may damage the kidneys, leading to kidney failure. There may also be anaemia and a tendency for abnormal bleeding.

The disease is diagnosed by a bone marrow biopsy, by blood tests or urinalysis, and by X-rays. Treatment includes the use of anticancer drugs, radiotherapy, and supportive measures, including blood transfusions, antibiotic drugs, and analgesic drugs.... multiple myeloma

(postinfective polyneuropathy) a disease of the peripheral nerves in which there is numbness and weakness in the limbs. It usually develops 1–28 days after a respiratory or gastrointestinal infection (commonly with Campylobacter): antibodies directed against the pathogen’s cell-surface antigens attack similar antigens on the myelin sheaths of the host’s peripheral nerves. Involvement of the respiratory muscles may require mechanical ventilation. Recovery is variable and often prolonged (there is a 10% mortality rate). Treatment with immunoglobulins (intravenous) or with plasma exchange may speed recovery and reduce long-term disability. See polyradiculitis. [G. Guillain (1876–1961) and A. Barré (1880–1967), French neurologists]... guillain–barré syndrome