title: Evidence for Pseudomonas antigen in immune complexes in Pseudomonas osteomyelitis.
abstract: In infections associated with immune complex disease, microbial antigens have rarely been found in the complexes. Using an enzyme-linked immunoassay, we studied the immune complexes of a patient who had hematogenous Pseudomonas aeruginosa osteomyelitis associated with palpable purpura, arthritis, and microscopic hematuria. After separation of the complexes into high and low molecular weight fractions, a 6-fold selective concentration of P aeruginosa antibody was found in the low molecular weight fraction compared with the concentration of the serum. Following disruption of immunoglobulin, the high molecular weight fraction competed with solid-phase P aeruginosa antigen for P aeruginosa antibody from another source. After successful treatment of the infection, the patient's symptoms resolved, and the complexes disappeared. These findings strongly suggest that immune complexes in this patient contained P aeruginosa antigen and antibody that may have been pathogenetic in his disease.
mesh_terms: D000906:Antibodies; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000032:analysis*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D001168:Arthritis / Q000150:complications; D006417:Hematuria / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000276:immunology*; D011693:Purpura / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial