Recurrent meningococcal meningitis due to partial complement defects and poor anti-meningococcal antibody response.

Abstract

An otherwise healthy young man had three episodes of meningococcal meningitis within three years. The last episode was caused by group A, and occurred four weeks after the patient received group A vaccine, thus representing one of the very few failures of this vaccine. The specific susceptibility to meningococcal infections was connected with half-normal levels of several components of the complement system (C3, C4, C9, factor B, properdin), and reduced antibody responses to group A and group C meningococcal polysaccharides, but not to several other polysaccharide or protein antigens.

• Authors: E Herva, M Leinonen, H Käyhty, P H Mäkelä, S L Vetoniemi-Korhonen
• Journal: The Journal of infection (J Infect) Vol. 6 Issue 1 Pg. 55-60 (Jan 1983) ISSN: 0163-4453 [Print] England
• PMID: 6411822 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Bacterial
• Bacterial Vaccines
• Polysaccharides, Bacterial
• Properdin
• Complement System Proteins
• Complement Factor B

Topics

• Adolescent
• Antibodies, Bacterial (analysis)
• Antibody Formation
• Bacterial Vaccines (immunology)
• Complement Factor B (deficiency)
• Complement System Proteins (deficiency)
• Disease Susceptibility
• Humans
• Male
• Meningitis, Meningococcal (immunology)
• Neisseria meningitidis (immunology)
• Polysaccharides, Bacterial (immunology)
• Properdin (deficiency)
• Recurrence
• Vaccination