A four-year-old girl from Maldives experienced a miraculous recovery from Hyper IgD syndrome, a rare genetic disorder, through the administration of Canakinumab, a human anti-monoclonal antibody, at a private hospital in the city.
Doctors claimed this marked the first-ever use of the drug in India. Hyper IgD syndrome, a debilitating condition affecting the immune system, often goes undiagnosed owing to its rarity and lack of awareness. Those diagnosed with this syndrome suffer from recurrent fevers, joint inflammation, abdominal pain, rash, and swollen lymph nodes, hindering their normal lives.
Chandrika Bhat, Pediatric Rheumatologist at Rainbow Children’s Hospital, Marathahalli, who administered the drug to the girl, said this treatment offers hope to patients battling the rare disease. The girl was diagnosed with this condition when she was six months old. Her condition was initially mistaken for common infections, leading to a cycle of repeated antibiotic treatments. Access to genetic testing played a pivotal role in identifying Hyper IgD syndrome at an early stage, the doctor said.
