[Congenital asplenia. A childhood immune deficit often detected too late]. / L'asplénie congénitale. Un déficit immunitaire de l'enfant de découverte souvent trop tardive.

ABSTRACT

We report a case of fatal pneumococcal sepsis in a previously healthy 22 month old child. At postmorten examination the patient was found to have an atrophic spleen. When other malformations are not associated, congenital asplenia is generally diagnosed after death related to pneumococcal infection.