Considerations for Primary Immune Deficiency Disorders in Asia

Abstract

The field of primary immune deficiency disorders (PIDDs) is marked by rapid discovery in genetic etiologies, disease mechanisms, and novel treatments. The gap between cutting-edge scientific research and its translation to clinical practice is widening, as the lack of resources and expertise in PIDD remains the critical bottleneck in many countries. In the better developed countries in Asia the number of patients diagnosed with PIDD has been increasing rapidly in the past decade, but it remains low in less-resourced countries. This chapter discusses the current status of PIDD service development in Asia, and how collaborative networking can benefit patients in less-resourced countries. Multicenter collaborations for data analysis and molecular studies of PIDD provide insights into the phenotypic and genetic diversities, and unique disease presentations, in Asia. The collaborative network also provides opportunities for studying human immune defense against subtropical infections, and discovering novel forms of PIDD.