J Korean Pediatr Soc.  1977 Apr;20(4):290-297.

Clinical Observation of Meningococcal Infection

• Lee EJ

Abstract

Meningococcal infectioni may range from a simple upper respiratory infection to fulminating systemic diseases such as meningitis, septcemia, endotoxin shock and disseminated intravascular coagulation. This paper reports on systemic meningococcal disease which were collected from Department of Pediatics. Yonsei University Medical College. From May, 1953 to April, 1976. Following results were obtained from this observation : 1. No striking differences were noted between boys(25 cases, and girls(27 cases) in incidence. 2. The most of cases appeared in winter and spring. 3. The clinical features may be summarized as follows : The most common compliants are fever (60%) and poor responsivess (77%) even coma. The meningeal signs (73%), skin rash (69%), vomiting (65%) and convulsion(42%) are prominent features oe disease. 4. Leukocytosis with neutrophilia was present in 80% of patients. Leukopenia or normal count were noted in 20% of patients, in the peripheral blood. 5. Ninety percent of patients revealed finding of meningitis on spinal tap. Mostly purulent type. 6. Poor prognostic signs inelude changes of mental state such as coma or semicoma, when there was no signs of meningitis on CSF at admissinn, when meningococci was found in blood culture only, normal leukocyte count or leukopenia in peripheral blood. 7. The mortality was 23% of patients and the most of expired patients were dead within 48 hours after initiation of therapy.

MeSH Terms

Coma
Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation
Exanthema
Fever
Humans
Incidence
Leukocyte Count
Leukocytosis
Leukopenia
Meningitis
Meningococcal Infections*
Mortality
Shock
Spinal Puncture
Strikes, Employee
Vomiting