Padilla-Docal Bárbara, Dorta-Contreras Alberto J, Bu-Coifiu-Fanego Raisa, Martínez-Alderete René H, de Paula-Almeida Olga Susana, Reiber Hansotto, Jensenius Jens Christian
Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark.
J Med Case Rep. 2011 Jul 28;5:330. doi: 10.1186/1752-1947-5-330.
Eosinophilic meningitis, a potentially fatal disease caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis, is considered an emerging infectious disease.
Three Caucasian boys (aged five-years-old, 10-years-old and six-years-old) with a diagnosis of eosinophilic meningoencephalitis caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis were studied. Serum immunoglobulin A (IgA), IgM, IgG, and complements C3c and C4 levels were quantified by using an immunodiffusion technique. Immunoglobulin E in serum was quantified by nephelometry and mannose-binding lectin by time-resolved fluorometry. Mannose-binding lectin deficiency was observed in the three patients. The first patient showed a reduction in the levels of IgA and IgM and an increase in the values of IgE and C4. The second patient showed a reduction in mannose-binding lectin level with increased IgG, C4 and IgE levels, and the third patient showed a decrease in mannose-binding lectin level and increased levels of IgM and complement C3c as well as a low level of C4.
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of mannose-binding lectin deficiency associated with Angiostrongylus cantonensis meningoencephalitis in children, and it may contribute to the understanding of the participation of this component of the lectin pathway in the development of the disease.
嗜酸性粒细胞性脑膜炎是由广州管圆线虫引起的一种潜在致命疾病，被认为是一种新发传染病。
对三名被诊断为广州管圆线虫引起的嗜酸性粒细胞性脑膜脑炎的白人男孩（年龄分别为5岁、10岁和6岁）进行了研究。采用免疫扩散技术对血清免疫球蛋白A（IgA）、IgM、IgG以及补体C3c和C4水平进行定量。采用散射比浊法对血清中的免疫球蛋白E进行定量，采用时间分辨荧光法对甘露糖结合凝集素进行定量。在这三名患者中均观察到甘露糖结合凝集素缺乏。第一名患者的IgA和IgM水平降低，IgE和C4值升高。第二名患者的甘露糖结合凝集素水平降低，IgG、C4和IgE水平升高，第三名患者的甘露糖结合凝集素水平降低，IgM和补体C3c水平升高以及C4水平较低。
据我们所知，这是首例关于儿童广州管圆线虫脑膜脑炎伴甘露糖结合凝集素缺乏的报告，这可能有助于理解凝集素途径的这一成分在疾病发展中的作用。
