Depressed cell-mediated immunity in chronic dermatophytic infections

The immune response was studied in 10 patients with benign dermatophytosis and in 5 patients with a severe affection. At the humoral level no deficiencies were observed in both groups. However, all patients showed a marked and constant increase in IgE level. Skin test response in various concentrations of antigens as well as studies of activation of lymphocytes by specific and non-specific mitogens in vitro have demonstrated a depressed cell-mediated immunity. This anergy, however, is not an "all-or-one" phenomenon; it varies, and there seems to be a direct relationship between the state of anergy and the severity of the cases. Furthermore, certain discrepancies were observed between the in vivo and in vitro responses suggesting that defective cellular immune reactions in dermatophytosis may be symptomatic of a lack of some humoral factor and do not necessarily reflect an intrinsic cellular defect. Finally, among these 15 patients, 7 were brothers and sisters from 3 separate and unrelated families, suggesting an autosomal hereditary influence.