title: [Complement protein hereditary deficits during purulent meningitis: study of 61 adult Tunisian patients].
abstract: Sixty one Tunisian adult patients with bacterial meningitis were screened for complement deficiency. Functional activity of the classical and the alternative pathways of complement (CH50 and AP50 respectively) were measured according to standard haemolytic procedures. Serum concentrations of C3 and C4 were determined by nephelometry. Late complement component (C5-C9) and properdin concentrations were assessed by double-ligand EISA. Complement deficiency was found in eight patients (13%): Seven had late complement component deficiency (three C7 deficiency, two C5 deficiency, one C6 deficiency and one C8 deficiency) and one had partial properdin deficiency. Patients with late complement component deficiency had a mean age of 24 years (range 17-32 years). All deficient patients had meningococcal meningitis. Recurrent meningitis was reported in half of the patients. Our findings demonstrated a high prevalence of complement deficiency in Tunisia suggesting that screening for hereditary complement deficiency should be performed in case of bacterial meningitides and meningococcal disease patients.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'immunologie, Hôpital La Rabta EL Jaabari, 1007 Tunis, Tunisie. maryam_kallel@yahoo.com
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kallel-Sellami
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abdelmalek
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zerzeri
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Laadhar
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blouin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zitouni
authors.forename: V Fremeaux
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: Bacchi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ben Chaabene
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Makni
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003182:Complement C5 / Q000172:deficiency*; D003183:Complement C6 / Q000172:deficiency*; D003184:Complement C7 / Q000172:deficiency*; D003185:Complement C8 / Q000172:deficiency*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D011414:Properdin / Q000172:deficiency; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D013492:Suppuration; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003182:Complement C5; D003183:Complement C6; D003184:Complement C7; D003185:Complement C8; D011414:Properdin