Impaired cellular immunity in marasmic infants

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Abstract
Cellular immunity was explored in 13 severely marasmic infants. Eleven healthy well-nourished infants and eight well-nourished infants suffering from mild infections, comparable to those in the malnourished group, served as controls. Seven of eight marasmic patients studied within the initial 30 days of rehabilitation failed to develop hypersensitivity to DNCB; three studied after 30 days gave a positive reaction. Subjects giving initially a negative reaction remained negative when re-tested several months after recovery. The PPD reaction was negative in the marasmic infants but also in most of the infected well-nourished controls. Blastic transformation of lymphocytes stimulated with PHA was normal in the three groups. A failure in antigen processing or recognition is postulated as a possible explanation for these findings.