Depressed immune function in epidermodysplasia verruciformis

Abstract

Epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EV) is a rare disease characterized by the early onset and unremitting progression of wart-like lesions and frequent association of cutaneous carcinomas. We report two siblings with EV. Immunologic study of both patients demonstrated normal immunoglobulin levels, normal numbers of T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes, but markedly depressed in vitro blastogenic reactivity to mitogens and antigens. Cutaneous anergy to a variety of common skin test antigens was noted. These observations may reflect an inherited abnormality in immune function, or the depressed immune function may result from the viral infection of EV.