Meningococcal Infections

Invasive meningococcal infection usually results in septicemia (35%–40% of cases), meningitis (~50% of cases), or both. Bacteremic pneumonia is less common (10% of cases). Rarely, young children have occult bacteremia. Onset of invasive infections can be insidious and nonspecific, but onset of septicemia (meningococcemia) typically is abrupt, with fever, chills, malaise, myalgia, limb pain, prostration, and a rash that initially can be macular or maculopapular but typically becomes petechial or purpuric within hours. A similar rash can occur with viral infections or with severe sepsis attributable to other bacterial pathogens. In fulminant cases, purpura, limb ischemia, coagulopathy, pulmonary edema,...