ABSTRACT
Sixty one Tunisian adult patients with bacterial meningitis were screened for complement deficiency. Functional activity of the classical and the alternative pathways of complement [CH50 and AP50 respectively] were measured according to standard haemolytic procedures. Serum concentrations of C3 and C4 were determined by nephelometry. Late complement component [C5-C9] and properdin concentrations were assessed by double-ligand ELISA. Complement deficiency was found in eight patients [13%]: Seven had late complement component deficiency [three C7 deficiency, two C5 deficiency, one C6 deficiency and one C8 deficiency] and one had partial properdin deficiency. Patients with late complement component deficiency had a mean age of 24 years [range 17-32 years]. All deficient patients had meningococcal meningitis. Recurrent meningitis was reported in half of the patients. Our findings demonstrated a high prevalence of complement deficiency in Tunisia suggesting that screening for hereditary complement deficiency should be performed in case of bacterial meningitides and meningococcal disease patients