Juvenile pernicious anemia associated with intestinal nodular lymphoid hyperplasia and immune deficiency state. Report of a case.

A 17-year-old girl with humoral immune deficiency state was observed, in whom pernicious anemia developed one year before her death. The patient died after a very severe diarrheal attack and respiratory tract infection. The necropsy revealed intestinal nodular lymphoid hyperplasia. The immunological evaluation showed depressed IgG and IgM concentration with lack of IgA, however in the patient's blood there were found B lymphocytes containing IgA immunoglobulin. On the effect of crude gastric antigen the patient's lymphocytes showed M.I.F. release, although there were no circulating autoantibodies.