There is a recent misconception circulating that COVID-19 causes immunodeficiency. The TL;DR: this is not the case.

Immunodeficiency occurs when one (or both) arms of the adaptive immune system are not functioning properly. This means that individuals become susceptible for a broad array of opportunistic illnesses. These include infections with microorganisms that would normally not cause disease in most healthy individuals.

These include:

Pneumocystis pneumonia: serious respiratory illness caused by fungal infection by the pathogen Pneumocystis jirovecii

Tuberculosis: caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Typically very rare, infection risk increases if someone’s immune system is not functioning properly.

Coccidioidomycosis: also called valley fever, this is another infection with a fungus found in the soil.

Cryptosporidiosis: a parasitic infection that can cause diarrhea and other severe GI symptoms

These types of illnesses are not occurring after recovery from COVID-19. T cells are not being “wiped out” after COVID-19. Yes, there is some evidence that some individuals have temporary immune system changes or perturbations after infection with SARS-CoV-2, but that is not the same as immunodeficiency, and is also not unique to this virus. More on this topic soon!

Winter respiratory illnesses such as RSV and influenza are not opportunistic infections. We’ve chatted about some reasons why there is increased infection activity previously, so check that out too.

Please be careful who you consume information from – misleading info is everywhere.

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Watch this IDF Forum recording to hear Alexandra Freeman, MD discuss COVID-19 and how it could affect people with primary immunodeficiency. This meeting was presented on April 13, 2020.
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