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Stem Cell Treatments for SCID

To any parent of a newborn, a diagnosis of SCID can seem devastating. The condition, known scientifically as severe combined immunodeficiency disease, deprives infants of the normal protection of the immune system, leaving babies unable to fight infections. As a result, children must be protected from any contact that could lead to infection. Without quick diagnosis and treatment, the consequences are fatal. Fortunately, stem cell treatment can reverse the condition and help infants build a healthy immune system.

  1. Identification

    • According to Britain's National Health Service, a case of SCID can be due to one of several inherited disorders. The common factor is a gene mutation that leads to poor function in the immune system. In general, the genetic disorder causes white and red blood cells to fail to function. These cells are key to fighting infection in the body.
      A simple blood test can reveal the presence of SCID, but many infants are not tested. In such cases, the first warning sign is a series of rashes, infections, colds and coughs that do not respond to medicines or get better over time.

    Treatment

    • Development of the immune system involves a special set of cells, known as stem cells. Among other things, stem cells can produce healthy red blood cells to fight infection. For an infant with SCID, the most effective treatment involves transplanting bone marrow from a healthy person. Bone marrow contains many stem cells. With a successful transplant, the new bone marrow will produce cells that can fight infection, saving the infant's life.

    Effectiveness

    • According to Duke University Medical Center, getting diagnosed early in life greatly improves an infant's chance of survival. Ninety-seven percent of infants younger than 3 1/2 months who receive stem cell transplants survive. Only about two-thirds of infants treated at an older age survive.

    Genetic Treatment

    • Stem cells may also provide a genetic cure for SCID, according to information from Duke University Medical School. The process involves removing stem cells from the affected child, correcting the immune deficient gene in a laboratory, and returning the repaired, healthy stem cells to the child. This process is not yet widely used, and research continues.

    Prevalence

    • The University of California San Francisco states that SCID occurs rarely. One in about 100,000 newborns in the United states have the genetic condition.

    Misconception

    • One famous experiment involved placing a child with a severe case of SCID in a protective environment with no contact with the outside world. This led to the name "bubble boy" disease. The experiment was not a success, however, and while children with immune deficiency orders may need to live in extremely clean environments, complete separation from the outside world with no human contact is not part of a long-term treatment plan.

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