What is chronic granulomatous disease (CGD)?

What is chronic granulomatous disease (CGD)?

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is an inherited disorder that affects the immune system.

In people with this condition, phagocytes – which are types of white blood cells of the cellular immune system such as neutrophils and macrophages – are unable to attack and destroy certain microbes. Infections associated with these microbes can be life-threatening.

In people with CGD, infections often occur more commonly in the skin, lung, lymph nodes and liver. CGD can increase your risk of developing abscesses (pus-filled pockets) in the internal organs. Some people with CGD develop inflammation (swelling) at various sites in the body.