MRCP2-3061

A 26 year-old man with ataxia telangiectasia undergoes open biopsy of an enlarged axillary lymph node. Microscopic examination reveals changes consistent with nodular sclerosing Hodgkin’s disease. Regrettably, he develops spreading cellulitis around the biopsy site which does not improve with intravenous antibiotics and ultimately necessitates surgical debridement.

What is the primary cause for the heightened vulnerability to infections in individuals with ataxia telangiectasia?