Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Omenn syndrome
Introduction
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Omenn syndrome is an autosomal recessive severe combined immunodeficiency[1] associated with mutations in the recombination activating genes (RAG1 and RAG2), affecting circulating levels of both B-cells and T-cells.
Symptoms
Symptoms
The symptoms are very similar to graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). This is because the patients have some T cells with limited levels of recombination with the poor RAG genes. These T cells are abnormal and have a very specific affinity for self antigens found in the thymus and in the periphery. Therefore, these T cells are auto-reactive and cause the GVHD phenotype.
Symptoms include:
- Desquamation (shedding the outer layers of skin)
- Chronic diarrhea
- Erythroderma (widespread reddening of the skin)
- Hepatosplenomegaly (simultaneous enlargement of both the liver and the spleen)
- Leukocytosis (elevation of the white blood cell count)
- Lymphadenopathy (swelling of one or more lymph nodes)
- Persistent bacterial infections
- Elevated serum IgE
Genetics
Genetics
Treatment
Treatment
Omenn syndrome is sometimes treated with bone marrow transplantation and cord blood stem cells.
References
References
- ↑ Santagata S, Villa A, Sobacchi C, Cortes P, Vezzoni P (2000). “The genetic and biochemical basis of Omenn syndrome”. Immunol Rev. 178: 64–74. doi:10.1034/j.1600-065X.2000.17818.x. PMID 11213808.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]