Case Report of Two Independent Moroccan Families with Syndromic Epidermodysplasia Verruciformis and STK4 Deficiency

Abstract

Epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EV) is a rare genodermatosis caused by β-human papillomaviruses (HPV) in immunodeficient patients. EV is characterized by flat warts and pityriasis-like lesions and might be isolated or syndromic, associated with some other infectious manifestations. We report here three patients from two independent families, with syndromic EV for both of them. By whole exome sequencing, we found that the patients carry new homozygous variants in STK4, both leading to a premature stop codon. STK4 deficiency causes a combined immunodeficiency characterized by a broad infectious susceptibility to bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Auto-immune manifestations were also reported. Deep immunophenotyping revealed multiple cytopenia in the three affected patients, in particular deep CD4⁺ T cells deficiency. We report here the fourth and the fifth cases of the syndromic EV due to STK4 deficiency.