Susceptibility to cryptococcal meningoencephalitis associated with idiopathic CD4+ lymphopenia and secondary germline or acquired defects

Abstract

Idiopathic CD4+ lymphopenia (ICL) predisposes to opportunistic infections (OIs) but can often remain asymptomatic and does not have a strong association with monogenic mutations. Likewise, cryptococcal meningoencephalitis, the most common OI in ICL, is not strongly associated with monogenic mutations. In this study, we describe 2 patients with ICL plus an additional immune defect: one from an E57K genetic mutation in the nuclear factor-κβ essential modulator, and the other with acquired autoantibodies to granulocyte- macrophage colony-stimulating factor. Thus, these cases may exemplify a "multi-hit model" in patients with ICL who acquire OIs.