Immune System Transplanted to Cure Rare Disease

[IScreamSundays]

Source: Science Daily

ScienceDaily (May 17, 2010) — Researchers at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR) and the Royal Brisbane Women's Hospital have identified a previously undiagnosed condition and successfully treated it by performing an experimental stem cell transplant.

Having spent her late teenage years in and out of hospital Katie Pulling had almost given up hope. "It was very confusing and very daunting. I kept hearing the doctors say, 'We don't know what is wrong', 'We don't know why you are so sick'," said Katie, who lives in north-eastern NSW.

With no options left Katie agreed to an experimental stem cell transplant -- a transplant which ultimately saved her life.

"Katie presented with a range of symptoms when she was eleven. No one could identify her condition and no treatment had been successful. She did not respond to regular treatments and she continued to get sick, often complicated by life-threatening infections," said Dr Maher Gandhi head of QIMR's Clinical Immunohaemotology Laboratory.

The key to unlocking the reason for Katie's reoccurring symptoms came when she contracted the common teenage virus that causes glandular fever. Usually most people come down with only a mild infection. However, Katie developed a full-blown version known as fulminant infectious mononucleosis (FIM).

snip>

Read more: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100517091827.htm

[madmax]

1. Thanks for this link

Science Daily. A lot of good articles regarding various health issues. :hug:

[Q3JR4]

2. Science...

(^_^):thumbsup:

Q3JR4.
_{Plus a shameless kick.}