Tor Härnqvist
Image source: University of Gothenburg; photo: Anna Alfredsson
In the pneumococcal disease group, one in four individuals had M protein in their blood, a marker that may be present in blood cancer or in precursor conditions. The examinations led to seven patients being diagnosed with blood cancer, while another twelve were diagnosed with a condition that can, in some cases, progress to blood cancer.
Eight patients were found to have immunodeficiency, seven of whom were able to start preventive treatment against new, severe infections. These findings were considerably less common in the control group.
The results suggest that screening for M proteins and antibody levels in adults with invasive pneumococcal disease should be considered, according to the researchers, as the disease can reveal previously undiagnosed blood cancer and immunodeficiency.
“Currently, these tests are not routinely performed after a severe pneumococcal infection. As a result, we may miss patients with undiagnosed blood cancer or immunodeficiency and therefore missing the opportunity to initiate treatment,” says Tor Härnqvist, a doctoral student at the University of Gothenburg, an infectious disease physician at NU Hospital Group, and one of the lead authors.