Open AccessOpportunistic Invasive Infection by Group A Streptococcus During Anti–Interleukin-6 Immunotherapy
Author(s) -
Shyra Wilde,
Katherine L Olivares,
Victor Nizet,
Hal M. Hoffman,
Suhas M. Radhakrishna,
Christopher N. LaRock
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
the journal of infectious diseases (online. university of chicago press)/the journal of infectious diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.69
H-Index - 252
eISSN - 1537-6613
pISSN - 0022-1899
DOI - 10.1093/infdis/jiaa511
Subject(s) - bacteremia , immunology , immunotherapy , streptococcus , serotype , streptococcus pneumoniae , interleukin , medicine , biology , immune system , cytokine , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteria , antibiotics , genetics
Invasive group A Streptococcus (GAS) in immunocompetent individuals is largely linked to hypervirulent strains. Congenital immunodeficiencies and those acquired from chronic disease or immunosuppressant drugs also increase risk of severe illness. We recovered GAS from the blood of a patient receiving a biologic inhibitor of interleukin 6 (IL-6). Growth of this serotype M4 isolate in human blood or a murine bacteremia model was promoted by interleukin 1 or IL-6 inhibition. Hyperinvasive M1T1 GAS was unaffected by IL-6 in both models. These findings based on a natural experiment introduce IL-6 signaling deficiencies as a risk factor for invasive GAS.