DiGeorge syndrome is a congenital disease that patients have no thymus (or underdeveloped thymus), severely low blood calcium and aortic arch deformity. The disease is non-hereditary and non-familial. It is a primary cell immunodeficiency disease. The affected infants have special facial features and other congenital malformations. Serious virus or fungus infection such as candida and pneumocystis Carinii infection can occur 3 to 4 months after the birth of the children. It can even be fatal. Most complete-type DiGeorge syndrome children die in infancy. The cause of death can be heart failure rather than infection complications. The prognosis for incomplete-type children is much better.
How is DiGeorge syndrome treated in practice?