Allergy Immunology Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Advanced Pediatrics Centre, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, 160012, India.
J Clin Immunol. 2024 Oct 15;45(1):24. doi: 10.1007/s10875-024-01815-5.
X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA) due to a mutation in Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK), leads to the arrested development of B cells at the pro-B cell stage. This results in absent B cells and severe hypogammaglobulinemia. XLA patients usually present with recurrent sinopulmonary infection. Bacterial infections are the commonest [2], fungal infections like Pneumocystis jirovecii, Aspergillus and Candida species are rarely reported and they are associated with mortality in XLA [3]. We report a 3.5-year-old boy with disseminated aspergillosis, an uncommon presentation of XLA. Despite treatment with antifungals, including voriconazole and amphotericin B, the patient succumbed to the illness. Genetic analysis revealed a pathogenic variant in the BTK gene (R28H), confirming XLA diagnosis. This case highlights the potential for severe fungal infections in XLA patients and suggests broader immune system dysregulation beyond B-cell defects.
X 连锁无丙种球蛋白血症(XLA)是由于布鲁顿酪氨酸激酶(BTK)的突变引起的,导致 B 细胞在前 B 细胞阶段发育停滞。这导致 B 细胞缺失和严重的低丙种球蛋白血症。XLA 患者通常表现为反复的鼻窦和肺部感染。细菌感染最为常见[2],真菌感染如耶氏肺孢子菌、曲霉属和念珠菌属则很少见,但与 XLA 患者的死亡率相关[3]。我们报告了一例 3.5 岁的男孩患有播散性曲霉病,这是 XLA 的一种罕见表现。尽管使用了包括伏立康唑和两性霉素 B 在内的抗真菌药物治疗,但患者还是死于该病。基因分析显示 BTK 基因(R28H)存在致病性变异,确诊为 XLA。该病例强调了 XLA 患者可能发生严重的真菌感染,并提示除 B 细胞缺陷外,还存在广泛的免疫系统失调。