Editing Immunology (section)

== Clinical immunology ==
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Clinical immunology is the study of [[disease]]s caused by disorders of the immune system (failure, aberrant action, and malignant growth of the cellular elements of the system). It also involves diseases of other systems, where immune reactions play a part in the pathology and clinical features.

The diseases caused by disorders of the immune system fall into two broad categories:
* [[immunodeficiency]], in which parts of the immune system fail to provide an adequate response (examples include [[chronic granulomatous disease]] and primary immune diseases);
* [[autoimmunity]], in which the immune system attacks its own host's body (examples include [[systemic lupus erythematosus]], [[rheumatoid arthritis]], [[Hashimoto's disease]] and [[myasthenia gravis]]).
Other immune system disorders include various hypersensitivities (such as in [[asthma]] and other [[Allergy|allergies]]) that respond inappropriately to otherwise harmless [[Chemical compound|compound]]s.

The most well-known disease that affects the immune system itself is [[Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome|AIDS]], an immunodeficiency characterized by the suppression of CD4+ ("helper") [[T cell]]s, [[dendritic cells]] and [[macrophages]] by the [[HIV|human immunodeficiency virus]] (HIV).

Clinical immunologists also study ways to prevent the immune system's attempts to destroy [[allograft]]s ([[transplant rejection]]).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.immunology.org/public-information/bitesized-immunology/organs-and-tissues/transplant-rejection-t-helper-cell|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423151148/https://www.immunology.org/public-information/bitesized-immunology/organs-and-tissues/transplant-rejection-t-helper-cell|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 23, 2019|title=Transplant rejection: T-helper cell paradigm {{!}} British Society for Immunology|website=www.immunology.org|access-date=2019-04-23}}</ref>

Clinical immunology and allergy is usually a subspecialty of [[internal medicine]] or [[pediatrics]]. Fellows in Clinical Immunology are typically exposed to many of the different aspects of the specialty and treat allergic conditions, primary immunodeficiencies and systemic autoimmune and autoinflammatory conditions. As part of their training fellows may do additional rotations in [[rheumatology]], [[pulmonology]], [[otorhinolaryngology]], [[dermatology]] and the immunologic lab.<ref>{{cite web |title=Clinical Immunology and Allergy Competencies |url=https://www.royalcollege.ca/rcsite/documents/ibd/clinical-immunology-and-allergy-competencies-e.pdf |publisher=The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada |access-date=2021-09-26 |archive-date=2021-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210926191240/https://www.royalcollege.ca/rcsite/documents/ibd/clinical-immunology-and-allergy-competencies-e.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Clinical and pathology immunology===

When health conditions worsen to emergency status, portions of immune system organs, including the thymus, spleen, bone marrow, lymph nodes, and other lymphatic tissues, can be [[Surgery|surgically]] excised for examination while patients are still alive.