Mycoplasma-pneumoniae-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a fatal disease characterized by widespread platelet aggregation, hemolytic anemia and fever with renal and neurological involvement. Different factors have been associated with the development of TTP, e.g. infections, pregnancy, chemotherapy, drug therapy and bone marrow transplantation. Recent data imply that all these different causes may induce the disease by decreasing the activity of the plasma von Willebrand factor-cleaving protease resulting in unusually large von Willebrand factor multimers that later on initiate the cascade of TTP. In this communication, we present a unique association between infection with Mycoplasma pneumoniae and TTP. We believe that the emergence of antibodies that cross-react with Mycoplasma and the protease might elucidate in this case the pathogenesis of TTP.
Bar Meir
E
E
Research Unit of Autoimmune Diseases and Department of Medicine B, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
Amital
H
H
Levy
Y
Y
Kneller
A
A
Bar-Dayan
Y
Y
Shoenfeld
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D001704:Biopolymers; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003429:Cross Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D018716:Molecular Mimicry; D009177:Mycoplasma pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology; D010956:Plasmapheresis; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011697:Purpura, Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001704:Biopolymers; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D014841:von Willebrand Factor; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; D011241:Prednisone