Circulating immune complexes in disseminated gonorrheal infection.

Circulating immune complexes were detected by the Raji-cell radioassay or the C1q solid-phase assay in 13 of 17 patients with disseminated gonococcal infection. In contrast, only three of 20 patients with local gonococcal infection and four of 40 normal persons were positive. The immune complexes were found to be 19S or larger in size, and complement abnormalities suggestive of complement activation showed some correlation with the levels of immune complexes in disseminated gonorrheal infection. These results indicate that in addition to bacterial dissemination, circulating immune complexes may be involved in the pathogenesis of disseminated gonococcal syndrome.