Pseudomonas cepacia pneumonia in a child with chronic granulomatous disease and selective IgA deficiency

Abstract

A 6 1/2 year-old boy with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) and selective IgA deficiency developed a chronic progressive pneumonia which failed to respond to several conventional combinations of antimicrobial therapy. On lung biopsy, Pseudomonas cepacia was obtained in pure culture, sensitive to chloramphenicol, tetracycline, kanamycin and nalidixic acid. With specific therapy, he slowly recovered. P. cepacia has not been previously described as a cause of persistent pneumonia in immunodeficient children. The occurrence of CGD and selective IgA deficiency together is a very rare combination of immunodeficiencies.