Complement C8 deficiency with recurrent meningococcemia: examination of meningococcal opsonization.

A 10 year old girl presented with recurrent febrile episodes over 2 months. A non-typable strain of Neisseria meningitidis was grown from blood cultures on three occasions. She was found to lack functional C8 activity in serum but material with C8 antigenic activity was present. The opsonic activity of the C8 deficient serum for N. meningitidis was equivalent to that of normal controls.