[Chronic meningococcemia and IgA deficiency in an adolescent].

Arch Pediatr

Service de pédiatrie, centre hospitalier universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Suisse.

Published: February 1996

Background: Chronic meningococcemia, defined as a meningococcal septicemia without meningeal symptoms with persistence of fever for at least one week prior to any antibiotics, is uncommon. Its pathophysiology remains unclear and a defect in host immunity has been suggested.

Case Report: A 15 year-old adolescent was examined because he suffered from fever for 6 days, headache, arthralgias. A disseminated erythema led to consider the diagnosis of vascularitis that was confirmed by skin biopsy. At day 9, blood culture yielded Neisseria meningitis group B that was confirmed by a second blood culture; the CSF was normal and sterile. The patient was given ceftriaxone plus penicillin for 14 days and completely cured. A detailed analysis of the complement system was negative but the patient was found to be deficient in IgA.

Conclusion: This is the first reported case in which chronic meningococcemia is associated with complete IgA deficiency.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0929-693x(96)85068-8DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

iga deficiency
8
chronic meningococcemia
8
blood culture
8
[chronic meningococcemia
4
meningococcemia iga
4
deficiency adolescent]
4
adolescent] background
4
background chronic
4
meningococcemia defined
4
defined meningococcal
4

Similar Publications

In the current era, malnutrition is seen as both undernutrition and overweight and obesity; both conditions are caused by nutrient deficiency or excess and improper use or imbalance in the intake of macro and micronutrients. Recent evidence suggests that malnutrition alters the intestinal microbiota, known as dysbiosis. Secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) plays an important role in maintaining and increasing beneficial intestinal microbiota populations and protecting against pathogenic species.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

T follicular helper cell expansion and hyperimmunoglobulinemia with spontaneous IgE production to dietary antigens in IgA-deficient mice.

Mucosal Immunol

January 2025

Division of Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States. Electronic address:

Immunoglobulin A (IgA), the most abundantly produced antibody at mucosal surfaces, is thought to play key roles in immune responses to respiratory and enteric pathogens and in the regulation of commensal colonization. Low IgA levels have been associated with recurrent infections and immune dysregulation, including inflammatory bowel disease and autoimmunity. Levels of IgA in maternal breast milk and infant stool are both inversely associated with the emergence of immune responses to food antigens in infants and, in naturally resolving food sensitivity and immunotherapy protocols, the induction of IgA antibodies to dietary antigens has been associated with the acquisition of food tolerance.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is characterized by hypogammaglobulinemia and recurrent infections. Significant morbidity and mortality are caused by immune dysregulation complications (CVIDid), which affect around one-third of CVID patients and have a poorly understood etiology. Here, we investigate the hypothesis that gut microbial dysbiosis contributes to the inflammation underlying CVIDid.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Metformin is the first-line pharmacotherapy for type 2 diabetes mellitus; however, many patients respond poorly to this drug in clinical practice. The potential involvement of microbiota-mediated intestinal immunity and related signals in metformin responsiveness has not been previously investigated. In this study, we successfully constructed a humanized mouse model by fecal transplantation of the gut microbiota from clinical metformin-treated - responders and non-responders, and reproduced the difference in clinical phenotypes of responsiveness to metformin.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Use of Immunoglobulin Replacement Therapy in Clinical Practice: A Review.

J Immunother Precis Oncol

February 2025

Department of Pediatrics, Division of Immunology, Allergy and Retrovirology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.

Immunoglobulins (Igs) are produced by B lymphocytes and play a key role in humoral immunity. Igs are classified into five isotypes (IgG, IgA, IgM, IgE, and IgD). Their primary function is to recognize and bind to foreign antigens.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!