Immunological decay in thymectomized infants

Four infants underwent radical thymectomy for a suspected malignancy of the thymus. Histology revealed no malignant cells. The patients did clinically well as long as 14 years after the operation. There was laboratory evidence for a cellular and humoral immunodeficiency. Affected were mainly the response to oral poliomyelitis vaccinations and the skin tests of delayed type hypersensitivity.