Isolated IgA deficiency after chemotherapy for acute myelogenous leukemia in an infant

IgA deficiency is a relatively common congenital immunodeficiency in children. It can either be asymptomatic or lead to frequent infections, most often of the sinuses and lungs. Intensive chemotherapy for acute leukemia is also profoundly immunosuppressive and can be complicated with life-threatening infections, usually associated with neutropenia and prolonged lymphopenia in the post-bone marrow transplant setting. Isolated, acquired immunoglobulin deficiency that occurs during treatment has been described but is usually transient. In this report, the authors describe a patient with infant acute myelogenous leukemia with acquired, persistent IgA deficiency.