X Linked Agammaglobulinemia

X-linked agammaglobulinemia, often called XLA, is a genetic condition that affects the immune system. This means it's passed down through families. Because the immune system is weakened, people with XLA have a harder time fighting off infections. Common infections include those of the inner ear, sinuses, lungs (respiratory system), the blood, and internal organs. Importantly, XLA almost always affects boys. While girls can carry the genes that cause the condition, they usually don't get sick from it. Most people with XLA are diagnosed when they're babies or young children, after experiencing several infections. However, some people aren't diagnosed until they're older, even into adulthood.

Many babies with X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA) seem normal for the first few months of life. This is because they have antibodies, a type of protein that fights infection, passed on from their mothers before birth. However, as these maternal antibodies disappear from the baby's system, they become much more vulnerable to bacterial infections. These infections can be serious and even life-threatening. They can affect various parts of the body, including the ears, lungs, sinuses, and skin. Babies with XLA, especially boys, often have noticeable differences in their immune system development. Specifically, they tend to have very small tonsils and may have small or no lymph nodes. These lymph nodes are crucial parts of the body's infection-fighting system.

X-linked agammaglobulinemia is a genetic condition. It happens when a person's DNA, specifically a certain gene, has a problem. This problem prevents their body from making enough antibodies. Antibodies are proteins that your body uses to fight off germs and infections. Without enough antibodies, people with this condition are more vulnerable to infections. In about 4 out of every 10 cases (40%), someone in the person's family also has the condition, suggesting a hereditary link.