FRIDAY, Jan. 17, 2003 (HealthDayNews) -- More than 100,000 American doctors have received a letter about a frequently overlooked, life-threatening disease that affects more children than leukemia and lymphoma combined.
The mail campaign about primary immunodeficiency (PI) is a joint effort of the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Jeffrey Modell Foundation.
Information about PI was sent to every pediatrician who is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and every family doctor affiliated with the American Academy of Family Practice Physicians.
PI is an umbrella term for more than 100 genetic defects. These range in severity from chronic sinusitis to Severe Combined Immune Deficiency (SCIDS), which is also known as Bubble Boy Disease.
PI can cause serious, recurrent and life-threatening infections.
PI symptoms often present as common, chronic childhood illnesses such as pneumonia, bronchitis, and ear and sinus infections. Because of that, many doctors misdiagnose PI.
The information mailed to doctors includes PI warning signs. These include:
More information
Here's where you can learn more about primary immunodeficiency.