DiGeorge syndrome is a chromosomal disorder in which the thymus never develops/barely develops due to a deletion in a chromosome. Which of the following complications would you expect a child with DiGeorge syndrome to encounter?
A)The child will not possess any B lymphocytes and will be immunocompromised.
B)The space in which body fluid is filtered and pathogens are destroyed will be missing, so the child will be prone to life-threatening infections.
C)The child will possess very few T lymphocytes and will be immunocompromised.
D)The child will lose flow of lymph through the body, so recurrent edema will result.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

DiGeorge syndrome is characterized by the underdevelopment of the thymus, which is responsible for the maturation and differentiation of T lymphocytes. Therefore, a child with DiGeorge syndrome will have very few functional T lymphocytes, leading to immunodeficiency. Option A is incorrect because B lymphocytes are not affected in DiGeorge syndrome. Option B describes the role of the lymph nodes, which are not necessarily affected in DiGeorge syndrome. Option D describes lymphatic obstruction, which is not a characteristic of DiGeorge syndrome.

DiGeorge Syndrome Is a Chromosomal Disorder in Which the Thymus