Discuss the implications of immune deficiency.​

A. Although immune overactivity can be a problem (such as allergies and autoimmune disorders), immune deficiency can result in several life-threatening diseases.
1. The function of the immune system must be virtually 100% effective in order to maintain health, and any substantial decrement of that efficiency would have serious consequences.
2. A weakened immune system leaves the body open to infection from viral and bacterial invaders as well as fungal and parasitic invasion.
3. Impairment of nonspecific immune function produces problems for tissue repair, inflammation, and phagocytosis.
4. Impairment of specific immune function affects antibody production, leading to a failure to attack specific invaders and form immunity.
5. Attempts at immunization could be dangerous because immunization typically occurs through the introduction of weakened forms of the disease; without the ability to form antibodies, these weakened pathogens could cause disease.
B. Immune deficiency occurs both as an inherent condition and as the result of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus.
1. Children born without functional immune systems must remain isolated from pathogens or they will die from exposure to the many diseases that most people can withstand.
2. People infected with HIV lose their immune function and die from one of the many infections that their bodies can no longer fight.