A case report of meningococcal disease in a neonate

Neonatal meningococcal meningitis (NMM) is rare, although early onset and late onset forms of meningococcal sepsis in neonates have been reported. The outcome of meningococcal disease can be fatal and depends on the innate immune system, age, serogroups, pre-existing antibodies, and other unknown host factors. The presentation of NMM differs from that in children and adolescents and may present with fever, poor feeding, decreased activity, seizures, altered consciousness, respiratory distress, or rash. Prompt identification and initiation of antibiotics is critical to survival. In the literature, very few cases of neonatal meningococcal disease have been reported in the United States. The average annual incidence of meningococcal meningitis in neonates is very low compared to the incidence of group B streptococcal meningitis. We present the youngest documented case (to the best of our knowledge) of neonatal meningococcal meningitis in the United States. We also present a review of the existing literature.