Severe Immune Deficiency

Severe infections in pediatric intensive care unit are not uncommon. Historically, the diagnosis of hereditary (primary) immune deficiency required a combination of recurrent clinical signs and biological stigmas. This paradigm is currently being questioned, and grows the hypothesis of a potential underlying genetic susceptibility in any severe infection. To date, the proportion of severe infections explained by an underlying immune deficiency is unknown. The aim of this prospective study is to assess the incidence of primary immune deficiencies in children with severe infection, regardless of their etiology.