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The pattern of hypogammaglobulinaemia in Sri Lankan children
N R de Silva1, S Gunawardena, H Ratnayake
1Department of Immunology, Medical Research Institute, Colombo.
Insights
In Sri Lanka, IgA deficiency is the most common immunodeficiency among children with recurrent bacterial infections. This highlights a need for improved care standards for these patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Immunology
- Clinical Microbiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Recurrent or severe bacterial infections in children can indicate underlying immunodeficiency.
- Hypogammaglobulinaemia, a deficiency in antibody levels, is a significant cause of recurrent infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of hypogammaglobulinaemia in Sri Lankan children presenting with recurrent or severe bacterial infections.
- To identify the common types of antibody deficiencies in this population.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive study was conducted involving 100 children (4 months to 12 years) referred for immune status evaluation.
- Immunoglobulin G, A, and M levels were measured using the radial immunodiffusion technique.
Main Results:
- 22% of the children (22 out of 100) had an underlying antibody deficiency.
- Immunoglobulin A (IgA) deficiency was the most frequent, observed in 18 patients.
- Other identified deficiencies included X-linked hyper-IgM syndrome and combined IgA and IgM deficiency.
Conclusions:
- IgA deficiency is the most common immunodeficiency in Sri Lankan children, aligning with findings in Western studies.
- The study underscores the necessity of enhancing the standard of care for immunodeficient children in Sri Lanka.
Objective:
To evaluate the prevalence of hypogammaglobulinaemia in Sri Lankan children who present with recurrent or severe bacterial infections.
Design:
A descriptive study.
Setting:
Medical Research Institute (MRI), Colombo.
Subjects:
100 children between the ages of four months to twelve years referred to the Department of Immunology, MRI, for evaluation of immune status during four years from 1993 to 1997.
Measurements:
Immunoglobulin G, A and M levels were measured using radial immunodiffusion technique.
Results:
22 out of 100 children had an underlying antibody deficiency, of whom IgA deficiency was the commonest (18 patients). Two patients had low IgG and A and elevated IgM levels, and they were diagnosed as having X linked-hyper-IgM syndrome. One patient had deficient IgA and IgM, and all three immunoglobulins were deficient in another.
Conclusions:
Results indicate that IgA deficiency is the commonest immunodeficiency in Sri Lanka, which is comparable with studies done in the West. This study also shows the need to improve the standard of care in patients with immunodeficiency.