Pericarditis after meningococcal infection: case report of a child with two distinct episodes

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Infectious Diseases
• Cardiology
• Bacteriology

Background:

• Pericarditis is a known complication of meningococcal disease, with an incidence of 3-19% across all age groups.
• While recurrent pericarditis has been documented in adults post-meningococcal disease, such instances are not reported in children.
• Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C is a significant pathogen causing invasive meningococcal disease.

Observation:

• This report details a pediatric case of two separate episodes of pericarditis.
• The patient experienced these pericarditis episodes following Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C infection.
• Clinical and laboratory features of both episodes were systematically documented.

Findings:

• The study describes the clinical presentation and laboratory findings in a child experiencing recurrent pericarditis.
• This case provides evidence of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C infection as a trigger for sequential pericarditis episodes in a pediatric patient.
• The findings suggest that children, similar to adults, may be susceptible to recurrent pericarditis after meningococcal infections.

Implications:

• This case expands the understanding of potential sequelae of Neisseria meningitidis infections in children.
• It underscores the importance of considering recurrent pericarditis in pediatric patients presenting with cardiac symptoms after meningococcal disease.
• Further research may be warranted to elucidate the mechanisms and frequency of recurrent pericarditis in children following meningococcal disease.