Levamisole treatment of a child with severe aphthous stomatitis and neutropenia.

The treatment of a 12-year-old girl with a lifelone history of recurrent infections and aphthous stomatitis is reported. A profound neutropenis, first noted at the age of 2 years, occurring at least every month was observed together with multiple mouth ulcers a sore throat and swelling of the jugular glands. Levamisole, originally described as an anthelmintic, has a beneficial effect on the symptoms of recurrent aphthous stomatitis. After levamisole treatment aphthous stomatitis was milder and in the 1-year follow-up period the patient was asymptomatic several times during a phase of obvious neutrophil depression. The child no longer complained of a sore throat with swelling of the jugular glands and the recurrent staphylococcal infections of the skin disappeared. After therapy a marked increase in monocytes at the moment of neutropenia was observed.