The term "primary immunodeficiency diseases" (synonym: immunodeficiency syndromes) covers various diseases of the immune system that are characterized by a temporary or irreversible disturbance of the immune function. Congenital or primary immunodeficiencies (PID) are diseases in which the immunodeficiency is congenital, familial and/or inherited. The PID group is contrasted with diseases in which the immunodeficiency is acquired, which are referred to by the generic term "secondary immunodeficiencies". The best known example of this is AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome).
In PID with phagocyte defects, both function may be impaired and the number of cells involved may be reduced. Congenital neutropenias, leukocyte adhesion defects (LAD), and PID with selective susceptibility to infection by mycobacteria(MSDM, mendelian susceptibility to mycobacterial disease) belong to this class of primary immunodeficiencies. Functional intracellular enzyme defects are exemplified in chronic granulomatosis(CGD) as a prototype for this group. In CGD, antibacterial reactive oxygen species cannot be produced because of an enzyme defect. The inadequate killing of phagocytized, i.e. intracellular, pathogens leads to invasive bacterial, (pyogenic) infections and mycoses.