Genetic Disorders

Introduction Genetic Disorders are medical conditions that are caused by an error in a person's genes. Some of them appear as a birth defect, while others do not become distinct until later in life. Genetic disorders can range from those that cause death to those that produce only mild problems, such as color blindness or an extra pinky. Scientists have distinguished more than 9,000 genetic disorders. Some are exceptionally rare while others are quite common. Types …

…to fight off infections and typically die within the first years of life. In experiments using gene therapy, a modified virus was used to carry a normal ADA gene to the patient's immune cells. It led to normal immune function in those cells. Gene therapy has also produced promising results in treating a rare immunologic disorder called chronic granulomatous disease, and there is hope in the treatment of cystic fibrosis and hemophilia for the future.