Examining Pre-Existing Conditions
There are numerous conditions and diseases that can weaken the immune system, causing it to become vulnerable and frequently attacked. These diseases can range from a temporary case of pneumonia or a yeast infection to certain cancers, such as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma or Kaposi's sarcoma, according to the New York Times. Multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis may also lead to an immune system disorder. Therefore, one of the first things a doctor will want to do when evaluating a patient is to take his medical history and determine if there is another pre-existing condition causing the weakened immune system.
ELISA
An Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA) tests how one's antibodies, or immunoglobulin, react when introduced to foreign substances that can invade the body and cause an immune system disorder. Though the body naturally produces some antibodies, an elevated amount may signal that the body is trying to fight off an illness or infection. This test is done by taking a vial of blood from the patient to determine what kind of reactions the antibodies have when they interact with these invaders.
White Blood Cell Count
A blood sample can be taken from a patient with a potential immune system disorder to determine his white blood cell count. Once the sample is taken, a blood smear is conducted. During the blood smear, the doctor or laboratory technician will place a film containing the blood under a microscope to count how many white blood cells the person has. People with immune system disorders have lower white blood cell counts. Depending on what the diagnosis is, an immune system disorder may cause the white blood cell count to continue dipping, which can leave the immune system, and the person, very vulnerable. This can even result in death in some cases, which is why it's crucial that individuals with immune system disorders be monitored by their doctors.
Tags: immune system, immune system disorder, system disorder, white blood, blood cell