COMPENDIUM ON FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE - Flipbook - Page 691
Immune Cell Deficiencies
Inadequate immune cell populations compromise specific
aspects of host defense [191, 192]:
Opportunistic Infections
Increased susceptibility to pathogens normally controlled by the
immune system [193, 194]
Chronic Viral Activation
Persistent viral replication due to inadequate immune control [195,
196]
Impaired Tumor Surveillance
Reduced capacity to identify and eliminate developing
malignancies [197, 198]
Chronic Inflammation
Persistent low-grade inflammation due to inadequate pathogen
clearance [199, 200]
Regulatory Dysfunction
Disruptions in immune tolerance mechanisms can lead to
inappropriate immune activation [201, 202]:
Loss of Self-Tolerance
Development of autoimmunity due to impaired regulatory T-cell
function [203, 204]
Chronic Inflammation
Persistent inflammatory responses due to inadequate resolution
mechanisms [205, 206]
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