The immune system defends the body against unwanted intruders such as germs and
cancer cells. The lymphatic system, composed of the tonsils, thymus, lymph nodes,
liver, spleen, appendix and bone marrow, among other things, makes up the immune system. Once the immune system recognizes a foreign substance, it attacks the substance and attempts to either eliminate it from the body or encapsulate it so that it will no longer affect the body.
Immunodeficiency disorders result in a weakened immune system. A weakened immune system can cause more frequent and severe
infections, and an increased recovery time. The causes of immunodeficiency disorders include, but are not limited to,
HIV/AIDS,
leukemia, chickenpox,
kidney failure,
diabetes, mononucleosis and chronic
hepatitis.
Autoimmune reactions occur when the body mistakenly attacks its own tissues. When the body attacks its own tissues, it may destroy otherwise healthy blood vessels and organs. Autoimmune reactions can cause disorders such as
Lupus, Graves' disease and rheumatoid arthritis.
View sub-topics at right to learn more about some immune system disorders and some of their common causes.
See Also
- Allergies: Overview
- Anaphylactic Shock: Overview
- Autoimmune Disorders: Overview
- Organ Transplant Rejection: Overview
- 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene
- Agent Orange
- Bellvue, Colorado
- Benzene
- Buckeye Pulp Mill: Overview
- Cabot-Koppers, Gainesville
- Chlorinated Dibenzofurans (CDFs)
- Colfax Treating Co. & Durawood - Pineville, Louisiana & Alexandria, Louisiana
- Dental Sealants: Overview
- Dioxin
- Fruit Avenue Plume Site - Albuquerque, New Mexico
- GEL Landfill: Overview
- Geneva Steel - Vineyard, Utah
- Hexachlorobenzene
- Hexachlorocyclohexanes
- Ipriflavone: Overview
- Irradiation: Overview
- Landia Chemical Company: Overview
- Lindane: Overview
- Midland, Michigan - Tittabawassee River
- Mount Dioxin - Pensacola
- Natick Laboratory - Natick, Massachusetts
- Nickel
- Nitrogen Mustards (HN-1, HN-2, HN-3) (Blister Agent)
- Pentachlorophenol
- Plutonium
- Poles, Incorporated - Oldtown, Idaho
- Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)
- Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / PAH
- Pyrethrins and Pyrethroids
- Skin-Cap: Overview
- Tequin / Gatifloxacin
- Tin
- Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH)
- Toxaphene
- Trichloroethylene
- Vinyl Acetate
- Vinyl Chloride
- Zinc