Description of an ELANE Mutation in a Girl with Severe Congenital Neutropenia: A Paradigm of Targeted Genetic Screening Based on Clinical Findings.

We describe the case of a 5-year-old girl with severe congenital neutropenia presenting with recurrent skin and respiratory infections. Sequence analysis of ELANE and HAX1 genes identified a mutation in heterozygous state in exon 2 of the ELANE gene: c.157C > G (p.His53Asp), not previously described in the literature at the exon coding level. Given the autosomal dominant inheritance and the location of the mutation within a "hotspot," this mutation was considered as clinically relevant. ELANE should be screened in patients with congenital neutropenia of no obvious etiology. A detailed medical history and clinical evaluation can prevent unnecessary investigations allowing for a targeted diagnostic strategy.