Job's syndrome associated with HIV infection improved with immune globulin therapy

Job's syndrome or the hyperimmunoglobulinaemia E-recurrent infection syndrome is a rare disorder affecting infants and characterized by recurrent severe infections of the skin and sinopulmonary tract, chronic eczematold dermatitis, coarse facial features, mild eosinophilia, and markedly elevated serum IgE levels. A similar syndrome, except for coarse facies, has been described in HIV-infected patients with advanced disease. To date, symptomatic therapy with antimicrobials has been described to improve these patients, but measures useful for prevention of recurrent infections are lacking. We have recently cared for an HIV-infected patient with Job's syndrome who had no more recurrences after starting prophylaxis with intravenous immune globulin.