Indications for the immunological evaluation of patients with meningitis.

Although people with bacterial meningitis lack adequate protective antibody against the invading pathogen, most do not have an underlying immunodeficiency. Certain comorbid conditions increase the risk for development of bacterial sepsis and meningitis. In addition, certain congenital complement deficiencies, defects of antibody production, or asplenia may be first recognized by the occurrence of bacterial meningitis, particularly when it occurs in infants or young children. Deficiencies of the terminal components of complement (C5-C9) or properdin have been associated with recurrent or invasive neisserial infections, and asplenia, agammaglobulinemia, and deficiencies of the early components of complement (e.g., C1-C3) are associated with risks of infections caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and meningococci. The presence of congenital or acquired immunodeficiencies should be considered in persons who present with bacterial meningitis on the basis of the etiology, clinical epidemiology, and presence of other risk factors.