Summary. Immunological responsiveness to two primary antigens, haemocyanin and dinitrochlorobenzene, was tested in seven patients with idiopathic or drug‐induced panmyelopathy. Humoral immunity was quite normal, but cell‐mediated immunity was partially deficient. Six patients showed in vitro lymphocyte reactivity to haemocyanin and positive intracutaneous tests with haemocyanin after immunization. The one patient in whom sensitization to haemocyanin did not develop had received prednisone during immunization because of overt bleeding tendency. In contrast to the successful immunization with haemocyanin, sensitization with DNCB did not succeed in any of the seven patients. PHA reactivity of the lymphocytes was not significantly lowered.

ABSTRACT. A case of idiopathic acquired pan‐myelopathy (aplastic anaemia) in pregnancy in a 32‐year‐old woman is presented. The outcome for mother and child was favourable. Special attention is paid to the management of the delivery. Another aspect of interest is the haematologic status of the child. In panmyelopathy an immunologic mechanism may operate as indicated by the finding of platelet membrane associated immunoglobulins, which were also present in our patient. If the bone marrow lesions in this disease are indeed due to immunological injury, they are mediated by immune complexes or by a cellular mechanism, for it is well known that IgG antibodies may pass through the placenta and induce lysis of circulating blood cells in the newborn. There was no evidence of bone marrow damage in the infant. This is in accordance with the cases mentioned in the literature.