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Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases Worldwide: More Common than Generally Thought

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Abstract

Purpose

Primary immunodeficiency diseases (PIDs) comprise at least 176 hereditary disorders that are thought to be individually and collectively rare. The actual prevalence and incidence of PIDs remains unclear, but recent epidemiologic studies have suggested that PIDs are more common than generally thought. Based on these studies, we attempted to estimate the worldwide prevalence and incidence of PIDs.

Methods

Using data from registries and two recent epidemiologic surveys estimating the frequencies of PIDs, we extrapolated the frequencies reported for certain countries to the populations of continents and of the world.

Results

Our upper estimates suggest that six million people may be living with a PID worldwide, whereas only 27,000–60,000 have been identified to date (all national registries and the Jeffrey Modell Centers Network, respectively). For Europe, our upper estimate was 638,000 cases, and 15,052 cases are currently registered (2.27 %). In Africa, up to 902,631 people may have a PID, whereas only 1,016 cases are currently registered. We also found that PIDs were prevalent not only in children, but also in adults, who were strongly underrepresented in registries.

Conclusion

Specific, dedicated epidemiologic studies are required, to obtain more realistic statistics for PIDs and to increase the awareness of physicians and public health systems about these diseases. Furthermore, the field of PIDs is continually growing, and this is likely to lead to a revision of the definition of these conditions, potentially increasing estimates of their impact on both adults and children, at the population level.

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Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Immunology Unit, King Hassan II University, Averroes Hospital, Casablanca, Morocco

    Ahmed Aziz Bousfiha, Leïla Jeddane, Fatima Ailal & Ibtihal Benhsaien

  2. Laboratory of Biochemistry-Immunology, King Mohamed V- Agdal University, Rabat, Morocco

    Leïla Jeddane

  3. Pediatric Immunology-Hematology Unit, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, University Paris Descartes, Paris, France

    Nizar Mahlaoui & Jean-Laurent Casanova

  4. St. Giles Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Rockefeller Branch, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, 10065, USA

    Jean-Laurent Casanova & Laurent Abel

  5. Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases, Necker Branch, University Paris Descartes and Inserm U980, Necker Medical School, Paris, France

    Jean-Laurent Casanova & Laurent Abel

Authors
  1. Ahmed Aziz Bousfiha
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  2. Leïla Jeddane
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  3. Fatima Ailal
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  4. Ibtihal Benhsaien
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  5. Nizar Mahlaoui
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  6. Jean-Laurent Casanova
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  7. Laurent Abel
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Correspondence to Ahmed Aziz Bousfiha.

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Bousfiha, A.A., Jeddane, L., Ailal, F. et al. Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases Worldwide: More Common than Generally Thought. J Clin Immunol 33, 1–7 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10875-012-9751-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10875-012-9751-7

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