Skip to main content
. 2012 Sep 14:330–345. doi: 10.1016/B978-1-4557-0792-8.00028-3

Table 28-2.

Type of Immune Defect According to Disease/Treatment and Range of Pathogens Commonly Associated With Infections in Patients with Such Immune Defects

Immune Defect Cause Associated Pathogens
Neutropenia/functional neutrophil defects
  • Chemotherapy

  • Early HSCT*

  • Acute leukemia

  • Chronic myelocytic leukemia

  • Aplastic anemia

  • Marrow infiltrations

  • Azathioprine/mycophenolate

  • High-dose corticosteroids

  • Chronic granulomatous disease

  • Other inherited phagocyte defects

  • Pyogenic bacteria and anaerobes

  • Filamentous fungi (Aspergillus, rarer molds)

  • Candida spp.


Cell-mediated immunity
  • HSCT

  • Chronic lymphocytic leukemia

  • Lymphoma

  • Tacrolimus/sirolimus for organ transplant recipients

  • Cyclosporine for organ transplant recipients

  • Azathioprine/mycophenolate

  • High-dose corticosteroids

  • Graft-versus-host disease

  • Inherited disorders of lymphocyte function

  • Pneumocystis jirovecii

  • Herpesviruses

  • Respiratory viruses

  • L. pneumophila

  • Mycobacteria and Nocardia

  • Agents of endemic mycoses

  • T. gondii

  • S. stercoralis


Antibody deficiency
  • HSCT

  • Chronic lymphocytic leukemia

  • Lymphoma

  • Myeloma

  • Encapsulated bacteria (e.g., Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae), herpesviruses

HSCT, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

*

Allografts up to 1 month, autografts usually less than 14 days.

Patients usually have a normal neutrophil count but have defects in their function and/or a poor response to infection.