Treatment

Treatment for CGD is aimed at helping you avoid infections and manage your condition. Treatments may include:

• Infection management. Your doctor will work to prevent bacterial and fungal infections before they occur. Treatment may include continuous antibiotic therapy, such as trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole combination (Bactrim, Sulfatrim Pediatric) to protect against bacterial infections, and itraconazole (Sporanox, Tolsura) to prevent fungal infection. Additional antibiotics or antifungal medications may be necessary should infection occur.
• Interferon-gamma. You may have interferon-gamma injections periodically, which may help boost cells in your immune system to fight infections.
• Stem cell transplantation. In some cases, a stem cell transplant can provide a cure for CGD. Deciding to treat with stem cell transplantation depends on a number of factors, including prognosis, donor availability and personal preference.

Potential future treatments

Gene therapy is currently being explored for CGD treatment, but further research is necessary.

Researchers are also investigating repairing defective genes to treat CGD.