New microbial and host factors in disseminated gonococcal infection: case report

Disseminated gonococcal infection was diagnosed in an immunocompromised patient who presented with oliogoarthropathy and tenosynovitis. The gonococcal isolate was prototrophic, showed intermediate resistance to penicillin, and belonged to serogroup WII/III. An isolate from the patient's sexual contact showed similar characteristics. The patient had a Saccharomyces opsonin defect, which is associated with childhood infections and has not been reported previously in association with disseminated gonococcal infection. The pathogenetic importance of the unusual isolate and the underlying host defence defect is considered.