Direct Tel.: (207)287-4623; Fax: (207)287-4743
To:
Healthcare Providers, Nurse Managers and Others Involved in the Care of Infants
From:
Ellie Mulcahy, RNC, Director, Maine CDC Genetics Program/Newborn Bloodspot Screening
Re:
Maine to screen newborns for life threatening disorder, Severe Combined
Immuno-Deficiency (SCID) began August 1, 2014.
Date:
August 2014
The Maine CDC Newborn Bloodspot Screening Program screens all newborns for causes of
cognitive disabilities, serious illness and selected genetic conditions. Each year 20-25
babies are identified with treatable disorders in Maine. August 1, 2014, Maine babies will be
tested for 33 disorders, including Severe Combined Immuno-Deficiency (SCID).
Severe Combined Immuno-Deficiency is a primary immune deficiency that occurs in about
one in every 50,000-100,000 births. SCID is treatable.
Babies with SCID have a defect in their B-cells and T-cells, which are white blood cells that
fight infections. Without these special cells, babies appear healthy at birth but are much more
susceptible to illness. Without treatment, most children with SCID die of infections before the
age of two. However, with early detection and treatment, which is usually a bone marrow
transplant, the survival rate is high. With approximately 12,500 births each year in Maine, we
expect to identify one baby with SCID every 4-5 years. There will be babies identified with
other serious immune system disorders that will also benefit from early detection and
treatment as a result of the added screening test.
Pediatric Grand Rounds presentations are scheduled at Maine Medical Center on Sept 4 and
Eastern Maine Medical Center on Sept 11. We are exploring other sites for Grand Rounds
on SCID.
More information will be available at www.mainepublichealth.gov/bloodspot. Sample
reporting materials, fact sheets, SCID Flow Cytometry referral form and family fact sheets
are available.
www.mainepublichealth.gov/bloodspot