Infection with uncommon subgroup Y Neisseria meningitidis in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

R. Feliciano, W. Swedler, John Varga*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

The association of Neisseria meningitidis infection and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is uncommon. We describe here three patients with SLE who developed disseminated meningococcal disease. Each patient had longstanding SLE and was receiving treatment with prednisone. Furthermore, each patient showed serum hypocomplementemia at the time of the infection. N. meningitidis Group Y, considered to be an organism of relatively low virulence, was isolated from the blood or cerebrospinal fluid in each case. The patients presented with diverse clinical manifestations of meningococcal disease. The relationship of disseminated meningococcal infections to hypocomplementemia in patients with SLE is discussed in light of a review of the literature.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)737-740
Number of pages4
JournalClinical and experimental rheumatology
Volume17
Issue number6
StatePublished - Dec 2 1999

Keywords

  • Complement deficiency
  • Meningococcal disease
  • SLE

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Rheumatology
  • Immunology and Allergy
  • Immunology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Infection with uncommon subgroup Y Neisseria meningitidis in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this