From the Research
Common Variable Immunodeficiency (CVID) is associated with several gastrointestinal infections and complications, including four GI infections: Giardia lamblia, Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella species, and Helicobacter pylori, as well as non-infectious GI manifestations and two small bowel malignancies: small bowel lymphoma and small bowel adenocarcinoma, as reported in the most recent study 1. The GI infections in CVID patients occur more frequently due to their impaired humoral immunity, which compromises the body's ability to fight these pathogens effectively. Some key points about CVID include:
- Four GI infections commonly seen in CVID patients:
- Giardia lamblia
- Campylobacter jejuni
- Salmonella species
- Helicobacter pylori
- Non-infectious GI manifestations in CVID include:
- Inflammatory bowel disease-like conditions
- Nodular lymphoid hyperplasia
- Atrophic gastritis
- Malabsorption syndromes
- Two small bowel malignancies associated with CVID are:
- Small bowel lymphoma (particularly B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma)
- Small bowel adenocarcinoma These conditions develop as a result of immune dysregulation and chronic inflammation in the GI tract, as discussed in 2, 3, 4, 5. CVID patients have a significantly increased risk of developing these malignancies compared to the general population, likely due to chronic immune stimulation, persistent inflammation, and defective immune surveillance, as noted in 1. Regular GI monitoring is essential for CVID patients to detect and manage these infections and malignancies early, which can improve morbidity, mortality, and quality of life outcomes.