Evolution of the hyperimmunoglobulin E and recurrent infection (HIE, JOB's) syndrome in a young girl.

The hyperimmunoglobulin E and recurrent infection syndrome is difficult to diagnose in children with markedly elevated IgE and recurrent superficial Staphylococcus aureus infections who have not presented with a severe infection. The patient, the child of a woman with HIE, had elevated cord blood IgE. In early infancy, she had cutaneous colonization with S. aureus followed by frank impetiginous lesions. Anti-S. aureus IgE was easily detected with a highly specific ELISA assay at 2 years of age (2 years before her presentation with a S. aureus subcutaneous abscess). Thus, the measurement of anti-S. aureus IgE by this technique may be a useful laboratory test for the diagnosis of HIE before the appearance of a severe infection.