Merck Manual

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Transient Hypogammaglobulinemia of Infancy

By

James Fernandez

, MD, PhD, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University

Reviewed/Revised Jan 2023
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Transient hypogammaglobulinemia of infancy is a temporary decrease in serum IgG and sometimes IgA and other immunoglobulin (Ig) isotypes to levels below age-appropriate normal values.

Diagnosis of transient hypogammaglobulinemia is based on low serum Ig levels (at least 2 standard deviations below the mean for age) and tests showing that antibody production in response to vaccine antigens (eg, tetanus, diphtheria) is normal. Thus, this condition can be distinguished from permanent forms of hypogammaglobulinemia, in which specific antibodies to vaccine antigens are not produced.

Transient hypogammaglobulinemia of infancy may persist for months to a few years but usually resolves.

View PATIENT EDUCATION
NOTE: This is the Professional Version. CONSUMERS: View Consumer Version
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