Graft-versus-host reaction (GVHR). A case report suggesting GVHR occurred as a result of maternofetal cell transfer

Abstract

A female infant with combined immune deficiency syndrome exhibited graft-versus-host reaction (GVHR) clinically during the nine weeks of her life. Pathologically, the first clue for GVHR was the lymphohistiocytic dermal and epidermal infiltrate with single cell necrobiosis seen on a skin biopsy specimen at 6 weeks of age. Two days before death, she received irradiated (3,500 rads) whole blood and plasma with specific antibodies against mother's lymphocytes, which was the first introduction of an allogenic hematopoietic substance. This suggests that the GVHR, which was confirmed at autopsy, occurred as the result of maternofetal cell transfer in utero or at time of delivery.