anergy
/ˈanədʒi
/noun [mass noun] Medicine
Absence of the normal immune response to a particular antigen or allergen.It is known that some persons with TB exhibit specific anergy to tuberculin but still respond to other antigens, possibly because available T-cell receptors are saturated and unable to react to the administered tuberculin antigen....
- This type of antigen presentation results in tolerance via T-cell anergy.
- As suggested by Ferrara and colleagues, a low mitogen response may possibly reflect underlying anergy or inability of the cellular immune system to effectively mount a T-cell response.
Derivatives
anergic
- Among TB patients with HIV infection, up to 40 per cent could be anergic.
- Seven patients were PPD negative, one of whom was anergic.
- Among these anergic patients, the 6-month mortality rate was 48%, compared with 13% for immunocompetent patients.
Origin
Early 20th century: from German Anergie, from Greek an- 'not', on the pattern of Allergie 'allergy'.