An inherited disorder in which there are very low levels of protective immune proteins called immunoglobulins. Cf. x-linked agammaglobulinaemia.
A deficiency or absence of immunoglobulins in the blood, which results in a reduced ability to provide immune responses.
An rare inherited condition found only in males, in which there is no gamma-globulin in the blood. Present from birth, it causes particular susceptibility to infections, as antibodies cannot be made to fight any infecting micro-organism. Acquired agammaglobulinaemia is a rare disorder occurring in both sexes in their 20s and 40s, characterised by recurrent bacterial infections. The cause is a disturbance in the working of the immune system.