Immunology
Nature of the work
Immunology is a relatively new specialty. It
combines caring for patients with immunodeficiency allergy and
systemic autoimmune disease with exciting advances in science.
Working in immunology
Immunology involves diagnosing and managing
patients with disordered immunological mechanisms. In the UK,
immunologists provide clinical and laboratory services for patients
with immunodeficiency, autoimmune disease, systemic vasculitis and
allergy.
Clinical immunology has evolved from being
mainly laboratory based, to a combined clinical and laboratory
specialty. The clinical work of immunologists is largely outpatient
based and involves:
- primary immunodeficiency
- allergy
- autoimmune rheumatic disease and systemic vasculitis
- joint paediatric clinics for children with
immunodeficiency
- immunoglobulin infusion clinics for patients with antibody
deficiency.
On the laboratory front, consultant
immunologists are responsible for directing diagnostic immunology
services and perform a wide range of duties including:
- clinical liaison
- interpretation and validation of results
- quality assurance and assay development.
A minority of immunologists (less than ten
percent) also provide laboratory support for transplantation,
histocompatibility leukocyte antigen (HLA) and tissue typing.
As awareness of immunological disease has
increased, the need for consultant immunologists in the NHS has
steadily grown. The specialty currently has approximately 60
consultants with 35 trainees. Consultant expansion has occurred at
the rate of one to two new posts annually in addition to
replacement appointments. The demands of patients with
immunodeficiency, allergy and autoimmune disease, and the need of
hospitals to have consultant supervision of immunology
laboratories, is likely to ensure that even more consultants will
be needed in the foreseeable future.
Common procedures / interventions
Immunologists use a range of immune-mediated
therapies, ranging from intravenous immunoglobulin for antibody
replacement and immunomodulation, to emerging monoclonal antibody
therapies such as Rituximab, which is used in the treatment of some
lymphomas.
Associated subspecialties
None applicable.
Further information
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