Relapsing Neisseria meningitidis Infection Associated with C8 Deficiency

Abstract

Infection due to serogroup Y of Neisseria meningitidis has many clinical manifestations, ranging from mild bacteremia to fatal sepsis and meningitis. N. meningitidis infection may coincide with several complement deficiencies. A child is described who suffered from recurrent disease due to N. meningitidis, group Y, attributed to deficiency of the eighth component of complement (C8). In a review of the literature, recurrent infection occurred in six of 13 children with complement deficiency, four of whom had serotyping positive for N. meningitidis, group Y. Screening for complement deficiency is recommended for all children with meningococcal disease due to N. meningitidis, group Y, and for any child with recurrent infection due to any Neisseria species.

Recurrent meningitis: a case report

“…Offprint requests to: M. Ceccarelli causes; of the latter, those connected with humoral immunity and the complement system [3,14,15,17,18] are perhaps the most important. The following observation offer a further contribution to this discussion.…”

“…When meningitis recurs in the same subject the usual investigations (objective examination, haematochemical tests, lumbar puncture) are insufficient. It is also advisable to carry out a detailed anamnesis to check for previous cranial trauma, even of a limited entity [2], a detailed ear, nose and throat investigation (possible presence of sinusitis, mastoiditis, or Mondini's syndrome [6,13], and a complete immunological evaluation [3,14,15,17,18]. The use of radiological investigations (cranial X-ray, computed tomography) preceded if necessary by an echographic or radioisotopic examination [4,9,11], should be taken into consideration in every case, in order to establish the most suitable form of treatment.…”

Inherited Deficiency of the Seventh Component of Complement Associated with Meningococcal Meningitis: Lack of Serum Bactericidal Activity against Neisseria meningitidis in a Girl with C7 Deficiency and HLA Studies of a C7‐Deficient Japanese Family

“…Chemotactic activity in patient's serum Table 4. Serum levels of complement and functional and immunochemical C7 levels in the family members reported in many cases (1,7,8,(17)(18)(19)23). Some individuals with C7D have been healthy (7,28) and others have had an associated chronic pyelonephritis (21), bacteremia, systemic lupus erythematosus (29) or ankylosing spondylitis (10).…”