Vasculitis and infection: effects of immunosuppressive therapy.

The immunosuppressive therapy in systemic vasculitis leads to immunological dysfunctions. The consequences of granulocytopenia and cellular immune deficits are infections of different etiologies in up to 50% of vasculitis patients. The leading severe infections are sepsis and pneumonia induced by a broad spectrum of pathogens (extra- and intra-cellular growing bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses). The contribution of infections to the mortality of vasculitis patients is important and should induce early and careful control of these events.