Hemophilus influenzaeBacteremia in a Patient with Immunodeficiency Caused by HTLV-III

Abstract

To the Editor: Patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) have profound defects in T-lymphocyte function and are inordinately susceptible to infections with microorganisms, chiefly intracellular parasites, that are defended against predominantly by the T-lymphocyte–macrophage system.^{1 2 3} Patients with AIDS have strikingly defective B-lymphocyte function as well^{2 , 4 , 5}; however, they have not generally been thought to be at increased risk of infection caused by microorganisms that are defended against chiefly by the humoral immune system. We recently cared for a patient with human T-cell lymphotropic virus Type III (HTLV-III) infection, cutaneous anergy, lymphopenia, and reversal of the T-cell helper/suppressor ratio, who . . .