The outcome of bacterial infection in subjects with benign familial leukopenia (BFL).

Benign familial leukopenia (BFL) is a hereditary phenomenon, encountered in several ethnic groups. Subjects bearing BFL are believed to be affected by bacterial infection in no greater incidence than normal subjects. In our study we investigated a group of subjects with BFL during an acute bacterial infection in comparison to subjects without BFL with the same infection. We found that the subjects with BFL had no absolute leukocytosis during the infection. Nevertheless, they reacted similarly to the other subjects in regard to their temperature and heart rate; however, they were hospitalized for fewer days than subjects without BFL. We conclude that BFL is a benign phenomenon, requiring neither specific treatment as such, nor more aggressive therapy during infection. The benign course of an acute bacterial infection in BFL indicates that perhaps the number of WBC's that are normally recruited during an infection in normal subjects highly exceeds that which is necessary.