Common variable immunodeficiency

Overview

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is an immune system disorder in which you have low levels of several of the proteins (antibodies) that help you fight infections. CVID leaves you open to recurrent infections in your ears, sinuses and respiratory system, and increases your risk of digestive disorders, blood disorders and cancer.

Signs and symptoms of common variable immunodeficiency may appear during childhood or adolescence, though most people don't experience them until adulthood. The condition can be inherited, or it can be acquired during your lifetime.

Why choose Mayo Clinic for common variable immunodeficiency

• Expertise. Mayo Clinic doctors trained in immune system disorders have expertise in caring for people with CVID and other primary immunodeficiency conditions. The Primary Immunodeficiency Center at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota is a designated referral center for the Jeffrey Modell Foundation — a nonprofit organization that promotes and conducts research for primary immunodeficiency disorders.
• Diagnosis and treatment experience. Mayo Clinic doctors provide timely diagnosis and treatment of CVID and work closely with you to provide the most appropriate care for your or your child's needs. Treatments for CVID focus on decreasing the frequency and the severity of your infections and may include immunoglobulin and antibiotic therapies. Doctors trained in pediatric immunodeficiency disorders care for children with CVID and other immune system disorders.
• Genetic counseling. Analysis of your DNA can reveal whether you have inherited the gene that causes CVID. Mayo Clinic's Department of Medical Genetics can help you understand how a genetically based disorder such as common variable immunodeficiency affects you or your child and your family.

Mayo Clinic: Answers you can trust

At Mayo Clinic, we assemble a team of specialists who take the time to listen and thoroughly understand your health issues and concerns. We tailor the care you receive to your personal health care needs. You can trust our specialists to collaborate and offer you the best possible outcomes, safety and service.

Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical institution that reinvests all earnings into improving medical practice, research and education. We're constantly involved in innovation and medical research, finding solutions to improve your care and quality of life. Your doctor or someone on your medical team is likely involved in research related to your condition.

Our patients tell us that the quality of their interactions, our attention to detail and the efficiency of their visits mean health care — and trusted answers — like they've never experienced.

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Read more about primary immunodeficiency.