Improved dysgammaglobulinaemia in congenital rubella syndrome after immunoglobulin therapy: correlation with CD154 expression

A boy with congenital rubella syndrome developed dysgammaglobulinaemia with elevated serum levels of IgM. CD154 was not induced on his peripheral bloo d mononuclear cells when rubella virus RNA was detected in his throat swabs and peripheral blood by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. F ollowing intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, improvement of immunoglobulin abnormalities, disappearance of rubella virus and normalisation of CD154 ex pression were demonstrated. Conclusion These findings implicate the efficacy of intravenous immunoglobu lin therapy for dysgammaglobulinaemia in congenital rubella syndrome and a role of CD154 for a prolonged virus infection.