What do Clinical Immunologists do?
Immunology is the study of the immune system, which protects us from infection. There are three main ways in which the immune system contributes to disease. Firstly, the immune system may be very active while fighting off infections, causing fever and inflammation. Secondly, it may be functioning poorly (immunodeficiency) which makes us less able to fight off infections. Immunodeficiency can occur because a component of the immune system is missing or because other factors are stopping it from working properly e.g. cancer, drugs, HIV infection. For more information about primary immunodeficiency, go to the Centre for Immunodeficiency website. Thirdly, the immune system may be inappropriately active either against the normal body (autoimmunity e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, coeliac disease) or against harmless substances (allergy e.g. asthma, hayfever, anaphylaxis). The immunology laboratory performs tests which measure the concentration or function of various immune system component
