Background: Zinsser-Engman-Cole syndrome (Z.E.C.) is a very rare type of ectodermal dysplasia, inherited in X-linked recessive manner and characterised by poikiloderma, nail dystrophy, lingual leucoplakia, bone marrow hypoplasia, hyperkeratosis and hyperhidrosis of planta and palms, dental anomalies and caries, premature grey hair.
Patient and methods: We report on a 46-year-old man who presented with occlusion of lacrimal puncta, trichiasis, severe dry eye, recurrent corneal ulceration and perforation, uveitis. HLA typing, flow cytometry of peripheral lymphocytes, bone marrow biopsy, conjunctival biopsy and extensive laboratory evaluation towards autoimmune and infectious diseases were performed.
Results: CD4+ T cells fraction was decreased, CD8+ and CD3+ HLA DR+ elevated. The patient was HLA-B27 positive. Laboratory studies revealed increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein level, hypochromic and hypoplastic anaemia, negative serum titers of antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus, HIV, HTLV-I, toxoplasma gondii and treponema pallidum, repeated titers to cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex and herpes zoster viruses--IgM negative, IgG positive. Corneal perforation was treated with amniotic membrane transplantation and corneal transplantation.
Conclusion: The defect in cell-mediated immune mechanisms in Z.E.C. syndrome explains the corneal perforation, sicca syndrome and uveitis, first reported in this syndrome.