Complement deficiencies (CD) are immune disorders where certain complement system proteins are absent or dysfunctional. They are often linked to recurrent invasive infections, renal diseases, and autoimmune conditions. In Morocco, these deficiencies are not well known. This study aims to identify Moroccan patients with CD, diagnosed locally or reported in the international literature.
Data were collected from the Moroccan PID registry, Moroccan published cases, and patients who underwent genetic testing.
Among the 831 patients registered in the Moroccan Primary Immunodeficiency Registry, only 7 had CD (2 patients with C5 deficiency, 1 with C7 deficiency, 1 with C4 deficiency, 1 with C8b deficiency, 1 with C6 deficiency, and 1 with C3 deficiency). In the literature, 3 patients with C5 deficiency and 3 with C7 deficiency were identified. Additionally, out of 300 genetically tested patients, 85 had homozygous and heterozygous variants in different complement fractions.
CD do exist in Morocco due to the population’s high rate of consanguinity, which also explains the high prevalence of variants related to the disorder. The need to improve awareness and diagnosis of CD is crucial in order to prevent severe complications and enhance the quality of life.
