MICROSCOPIC POLYARTERITIS FOLLOWING A SUPPURATIVE WOUND-INFECTION

Bacterial and viral infections may be associated with the onset of a n umber of autoimmune diseases and relapses of these conditions. We desc ribe a patient in whom there was a close temporal relationship between a suppurative wound infection and the onset of microscopic polyarteri tis. The clinical features of this disease responded to treatment with high dose prednisolone and cyclophosphamide. The patient had several further infective episodes while being treated, but there were no dise ase exacerbations or relapses related to these. Anti-neutrophil cytopl asmic antibodies (ANCA) were never demonstrated in this patient. Thus while it is likely that the infection precipitated the onset of the sy stemic vasculitic illness, this occurred independently of ANCA.