Unique susceptibility of patients with antibody deficiency to mycoplasma infection

Clin Infect Dis. 1993 Aug:17 Suppl 1:S250-3.

Abstract

Patients with congenital or acquired disorders of antibody production suffer from a wide variety of infections. They are most often bacterial and due to Haemophilus influenzae or Streptococcus pneumoniae. Chronic pulmonary disease accounts for most of the deaths. While non-urogenital tract infections due to Ureaplasma urealyticum or other mycoplasmas are unusual in individuals with normal resistance, patients with antibody deficiency demonstrate a unique susceptibility. With increasing frequency, patients with impaired humoral immunity have been shown to have a mycoplasmal infection that results in pneumonitis, sinusitis, cystitis, arthritis, osteomyelitis, or cellulitis. The mycoplasmas may be responsible for chronic sinopulmonary disease in a majority of such patients. Awareness of the role these organisms play in causing infection in antibody-deficient patients and the institution of appropriate antibiotic therapy will contribute to an improvement in clinical outcome.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / therapeutic use
  • Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / complications*
  • Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / therapy
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Infant, Premature
  • Mycoplasma Infections / etiology*
  • Mycoplasma Infections / therapy
  • Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / etiology
  • Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / therapy
  • Ureaplasma Infections / etiology
  • Ureaplasma urealyticum

Substances

  • Immunoglobulins, Intravenous