Meningococcal disease in a kidney transplant recipient with mannose-binding lectin deficiency.

We describe the case of a kidney transplant recipient who developed meningococcemia, without meningeal signs, 2 months after transplantation. Plasma levels of complement components C3, C4, and CH 50 were within the normal range. However, using a method to screen for the functional activity of all 3 pathways of complement, no activation via the mannose-binding lectin (MBL) pathway could be detected (0%). A subsequent quantification of MBL pathway components revealed normal levels of MASP 2 but undetectable amounts of MBL. To our knowledge, this is the first report of meningococcal disease after organ transplantation in a patient with MBL deficiency.