The Hyperimmunoglobulin E Recurrent-Infection (Jobʼs) Syndrome

The hyperimmunoglobulin E recurrent-infection syndrome (HIE) entails a disorder of recurrent bacterial infections of the skin and sinopulmonary tract commencing in infancy or early childhood in the presence of serum levels of IgE which are at least 10 times normal (greater than 2,000 IU/ml). Variable concomitants of HIE are coarse facies, chronic eczematoid rashes, cold cutaneous abscesses, mild eosinophilia, mucocutaneous candidiasis, and a neutrophil chemotactic defect. The bacteria which commonly infect these patients are Staphylococcus aureus and Haemophilus influenzae although Streptococcus pneumoniae and enteric gram-negative rods are seen in some cases. Other than pneumonias, deep-seated infections are unusual, although osteomyelitis, arthritis, and visceral abscesses are seen. Bacteremia and sepsis are rare. Therapy should involve prolonged intravenous antibiotics and early surgery to treat infections which usually seem deceptively benign. HIE patients' neutrophils display a variable chemotactic defect, and their mononuclear cells variably produce an inhibitor of neutrophil chemotaxis. The production of the inhibitor correlates with the in vitro chemotactic defect. The basis of the propensity for recurrent infections is still speculative, and the further study of this syndrome should add new dimensions to our understanding of host defenses against bacterial invaders.