[Acute meningococcemia in a 4-month-old infant]

What causes meningococcial diseases (MD) is a Gramm-negative diplococcus Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus). Most frequently it manifests itself in the form of meningitis and meningococcemia. The mortality rate of those suffering from MD has not significantly changed for three decades and ranges from 7% to 19%, and for meningococcemia from 18% to 53%. According to the data presented by domestic authors, of the total of the diseased with bacterial meningitis 75% are children with mortality rate from 6% to 15%. Severe forms of meningococcemia sometimes have extremely rapid development and lethal outcome within a few hours. Key elements for establishing the diagnosis of meningococcemia are presence of hemorrhagic rash with high fever, loss of interest in the environment, loss of consciousness and paleness.

The boy was admitted to hospital as an emergency case on 29 December 1988 at 11:45. The disease manifested abruptly the day before. He burst into tears easily, would take very little food and in the evening his temperature rose T degree 40.8 degrees C. Before midnight, in the village he was given injections of: lincomycin 300 mg and lasdol 250 i.m. During admittance the infant was agitated, kept moaning. His skin was pail gray with dot-like and spot-like hematoma which were more numerous and intense on the left ear, lower part of the body, scrotum and legs. The infant breathed heavily and fast (FR: 100/min) Cardiologist's finding showed: tahicardia over 200/min, buffled tones, gallop rhythm, pulsating neck veins and edema point to acute heart failure. Large fontanelles remained swollen even after lumbar puncture (LP) and extraction of 15 ml of clear cerebro-spinal fluid. Soon after admittance the boy stopped moaning but didn't cry when pricked and slipped deeper into coma. During the third hour of treatment generalized convulsions began which lasted approximately 10 minutes and stopped after i.v. administered diazepam. The boy remained in coma the second day in lethargy and with swollen fontanelles on the third day, so the first subdural puncture was then performed bilaterally. On that occasion only from the right side 8 ml of reddish liquid was obtained. Right after he was admitted we began permanent transfusion, which lasted 17 days. On the first day he received fresh blood transfusion. He was administered benzinpenicilline, chloramphenicol-succinate, lanatoside, human albumins, dexamethasone.... Blood oxygenation was carried out in the first few days of illness during the exhibited cardio-respiratory failure.

Among risk factors, which contribute to occurrence of meningococcemia, is also artificial infant food. The reported boy was incorrectly fed with overdiluted cow milk. That and apparent hemostasis brake-down only worsened anemia and increased susceptibility to infections. Although LP was performed when the boy was admitted and the nutritious foundation was soaked with cerebro-spinal fluid, no bacteria were isolated or their presence confirmed in cerebro-spinal fluid colored after Gramm's method, because the child was given linkomycin the previous night.

On the basis of clinical findings, hemorrhagic rush, convulsions, coma and acute heart failure as well as the laboratory findings it was concluded that it was a case of severe meningococcemia, meningitis and subdural effusion. Listed therapy and six subdural punctures led to full recovery of the patient. Further examination by a pediatrician and a psychologist eliminated the possibility of mental deficiency. The boy is now a good fifth grade elementary school pupil.