Defective neutrophil chemotaxis and bactericidal power in a child with hyperimmunoglobulinemia E.

An 11-year-old boy with a life-long history of atopic-like dermatitis and recurrent staphylococcal abscesses was found to have defective neutrophil chemotaxis, impaired-T-lymphocyte functions, hyperimmunoglobulinemia E, and delayed neutrophil bactericidal power. This latter defect has never been found in such patients. The patient's mother revealed a panhypogammaglobulinemia, while his sister and maternal grandmother who had repeated infections were immunologically normal.