Chronic granulomatous disease is characterized by white blood cells that cannot produce activated oxygen compounds and by defects in phagocytic cell microbicidal function. Manifestations include recurrent infections; multiple granulomatous lesions of the lungs, liver, lymph nodes, and gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts; abscesses; lymphadenitis; hypergammaglobulinemia; elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate; and anemia. Diagnosis is by assessing oxygen radical production in white blood cells via a flow cytometric oxidative burst assay. Treatment is with antibiotics, antifungals, and interferon gamma; granulocyte transfusions may be needed.
(See also Overview of Immunodeficiency Disorders and Approach to the Patient With an Immunodeficiency Disorder.)
Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a primary immunodeficiency disorder that involves phagocytic cell defects. More than 50% of cases of CGD are inherited as an X-linked recessive trait and thus occur only in males; in the rest, inheritance is autosomal recessive. Common mutations responsible for CGD affect the gp91phox (X-linked form), p22phox, p47phox, and p67phox genes.
In CGD, white blood cells (WBCs) do not produce hydrogen peroxide, superoxide, and other activated oxygen compounds because nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase activity is deficient. Phagocytic cell microbicidal function is defective; thus, bacteria and fungi are not killed despite normal phagocytosis.
Symptoms and Signs of Chronic Granulomatous Disease
Chronic granulomatous disease usually begins with recurrent abscesses during early childhood; in a few patients, onset is delayed until the early teens. Typical pathogens are catalase-producing organisms (eg, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Serratia, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, fungi). Aspergillus infections are the leading cause of death.
Multiple granulomatous lesions occur in the lungs, liver, lymph nodes, and gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts (causing obstruction). Suppurative lymphadenitis, hepatosplenomegaly, pneumonia, and hematologic evidence of chronic infection are common. Skin, lymph node, lung, liver, and perianal abscesses; stomatitis; and osteomyelitis also occur.
Growth may be delayed.
X-linked carriers of gp91phox chronic granulomatous disease may be asymptomatic or develop various, usually less severe, symptoms, including joint pain with a lupus-like syndrome, aphthous ulcers, chorioretinal lesions, and photosensitivity (1).
Symptoms and signs reference
1. Battersby AC, Braggins H, Pearce MS, et al: Inflammatory and autoimmune manifestations in X-linked carriers of chronic granulomatous disease in the United Kingdom. J Allergy Clin Immunol 140:628–630, 2017.
Diagnosis of Chronic Granulomatous Disease
Flow cytometric oxidative (respiratory) burst assay
Diagnosis of chronic granulomatous disease is by a flow cytometric oxidative (respiratory) burst assay to detect oxygen radical production using dihydrorhodamine 123 (DHR) or nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT). This test can also identify female carriers of the X-linked form and recessive forms. In these forms, the assay using DHR demonstrates 2 populations of phagocytes, normal and affected.
Genetic testing is done to confirm the genetic defect but is not required to make the diagnosis. Siblings are usually screened using DHR.
Hypergammaglobulinemia and anemia can occur; erythrocyte sedimentation rate is elevated.
Treatment of Chronic Granulomatous Disease
Prophylactic antibiotics and usually antifungals
Usually interferon gamma
For severe infections, granulocyte transfusions
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Interferon gamma may reduce severity and frequency of infections and is usually included in the treatment regimen.
Granulocyte transfusions can be lifesaving when infections are severe.
Immunosuppressive agents are frequently required to control noninfectious inflammatory complications such as irritable bowel disease (1).
When preceded by pretransplantation chemotherapy, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from an HLA (human leukocyte antigen)-identical sibling is usually successful.
Gene therapy is under study (2, 3).
Treatment references
1. Grammatikos A, Gennery AR: Inflammatory Complications in Chronic Granulomatous Disease. J Clin Med 13(4):1092, 2024. doi:10.3390/jcm13041092
2. Mudde A, Booth C: Gene therapy for inborn error of immunity - current status and future perspectives. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol 23(1):51–62, 2023. doi:10.1097/ACI.0000000000000876
3. Sevim-Wunderlich S, Dang T, Rossius J, Schnütgen F, Kühn R: A Mouse Model of X-Linked Chronic Granulomatous Disease for the Development of CRISPR/Cas9 Gene Therapy. Genes (Basel) 15(6):706, 2024. doi:10.3390/genes15060706
Key Points
Suspect chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) if patients have recurrent abscesses during childhood (sometimes not until the early teens), particularly if the pathogen is a catalase-producing organism (eg, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Serratia, Klebsiella,Pseudomonas, fungi).
Use the flow cytometric oxidative burst assay to diagnose CGD and identify carriers.
Treat most patients with prophylactic antibiotics, antifungals, and interferon gamma.
For severe infections, give granulocyte transfusions.
Consider hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
