Acquired dysgammaglobulinaemia in a young man.

A 26-year-old man had been subject to repeated infections since the age of 15. He was found to have complete absence of isohaemagglutinins, even though he was blood group O, and absence of antibodies to any of the common bacterial and viral infections. A full course of typhoid–paratyphoid A and B vaccine produced no antibody response and a large dose of inactivated poliomyelitis vaccine produced only a minimal response. Estimation of the immunoglobulin levels in the serum revealed a normal amount of IgG globulin, increased amounts of IgM globulin and diminished amounts of IgA globulin.