New immune deficiency disease discovered here
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A new immunedeficiency disease similar to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been detected in Asians, especially in Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Thailand, Dr Ploenjan Chetchotisak of Khon Kaen University's faculty of medicine said Monday.
Ploenjan said she had treated a patient diagnosed as having scrofula, who received treatment for many years but was not cured completely. Research by Srinagarind Hospital in Khon Kaen found that the patient fell into the category of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM).
Srinagarind Hospital found 80 people who suffered from the disease in 2007. The hospital has teamed up with Chiang Mai University, Ramathibodi and Siriraj hospitals to conduct indepth research about the disease on 129 people. The three hospitals believe it is a new immunedeficiency disease that is different from Aids and SLE.
The Nation
