agammaglobulinemia

[ey-gam-uh-glob-yuh-luh-nee-mee-uh]

noun

Pathology.

1. a condition of the blood, either congenital or acquired, in which there is near or complete absence of gamma globulin and a failure of the body to form antibodies, resulting in a frequent occurrence of infectious disease.

Other Word Forms

• agammaglobulinemic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of agammaglobulinemia¹

First recorded in 1950–55; a- ⁶ + gamma globulin + -emia

Example Sentences

It took two years before doctors discovered that David was born with a genetic immune deficiency called Bruton agammaglobulinemia, which left him susceptible to many infections and disorders, including polio.

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