Persistent Campylobacter jejuni infection in an immunocompromised patient

Ann Intern Med. 1984 Jun;100(6):832-4. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-100-6-832.

Abstract

Recurrent bacteremia and enteritis due to a specific serotype of Campylobacter jejuni occurred over a 12-month period in a patient on hemodialysis with systemic lupus erythematosus who was also deficient in serum IgA and IgM. A bactericidal defect in the patient's sera for C. jejuni was shown. A role for immunoglobulins in the host response to C. jejuni is suggested, in that the IgA deficiency may have predisposed the patient to chronic gastrointestinal carriage and because the resolution of the bacteremia corresponded with the delayed appearance in the blood of IgG specific for the infecting strain.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / analysis
  • Blood Bactericidal Activity
  • Campylobacter Infections / etiology*
  • Campylobacter Infections / immunology
  • Campylobacter fetus / immunology
  • Enteritis / etiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • IgA Deficiency
  • Immunoglobulin A / analysis
  • Immunoglobulin M / deficiency
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / complications*
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / immunology
  • Recurrence
  • Sepsis / etiology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Immunoglobulin A
  • Immunoglobulin M