Abstract
Extract: A female child with a life-long, remarkable susceptibility to bacterial and funal infections is presented. She was shown to be incapble of manifesting delayed hypersensitivity reactions, anamnestic antibody response and second set allograft rejection. The failure of these lymphocyte-dependent functions was attributed to the presence of a lymphocytotoxic antibody in the patient's serum, particularly associated with her serum γA golbulins. She manifested recurrent, profound lymphopenia in association with infection.
Speculation: The pathogenesis of undue susceptibility to infection in an 11-year-old female child has been compared with and related to the immunologic deficit produced by the administration of antilymphocyte antiserum to experimental animals. Further characterization of the ‘autoantibody’ is needed to clarify its role in lymphocytotoxicity and its suppression of normal lymphocyte function.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kretschmer, R., Janeway, C. & Rosen, F. Immunologic Amnesia: Study of an 11-Year-Old Girl with Recurrent Severe Infections Associated with Dysgammaglobulinemia, Lymphopenia and Lymphocytotoxic Antibody, Resulting in Loss of Immunologic Memory. Pediatr Res 2, 7 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-196801000-00007
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-196801000-00007