Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0085437 (bacterial meningitis)
 4,038 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Protection against infection with encapsulated bacteria is mediated by IgG antibodies against the capsular polysaccharides. Production of such antibodies is impaired during infancy, when susceptibility to bacterial meningitis is greatest. Recent studies have proposed the use of anti-CD40 antibody to increase responsivenesses to polysaccharide antigens. We show here that the IgG response to a model polysaccharide antigen is greatly increased, but retains thymus-independent characteristics--switching continues to be mainly to IgG3 and neither germinal centers nor memory B cells are formed. Furthermore, anti-CD40 causes striking splenomegaly in mice, which is accompanied by dramatic cellular redistribution and proliferation of dendritic cells, macrophages, T cells and endothelium, as well as B cells. These findings raise the possibility that the anti-CD40 effect is due mainly to increased activity of accessory cells that affect plasmablast growth and differentiation rather than mimicry of T cell help.
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PMID:Anti-CD40 antibody enhances responses to polysaccharide without mimicking T cell help. 1054 Mar 33

Recurrent meningitis is an uncommon life-threatening condition. Here, the case of a 6-year-old boy is reported who had two episodes of meningitis with an IgG3 subclass deficiency. The boy had aseptic meningitis at the age of 3 years, followed by bacterial meningitis at the age of 4 years. Primary immunoglobulin deficiencies are a group of disorders associated with an increased incidence and/or severity of infection. Recurrent infections, sinusitis, bronchitis, and pneumonia are the most frequently observed illnesses in patients with IgG subclass deficiencies, of which an IgG3 subclass deficiency is the most common, especially in adults. Although cases of recurrent viral or bacterial meningitis have been reported, herein a patient is presented with recurrence of aseptic and bacterial meningitis 1 year after the initial episode. Some researchers recommend that all children with episodes of recurrent meningitis should be screened for primary immunoglobulin or complement deficiencies.
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PMID:Recurrent meningitis in a child with IgG3 subclass deficiency. 2525 30