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Inducing Meningococcal Meningitis Serogroup C in Mice via Intracisternal Delivery
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Global epidemiology and changing clinical presentations of invasive meningococcal disease: a narrative review

Ala-Eddine Deghmane1, Samy Taha1,2, Muhamed-Kheir Taha1

  • 1Institut Pasteur, Invasive Bacterial Infections Unit and National Reference Centre for Meningococci and Haemophilus Influenzae, Paris, France.

Infectious Diseases (London, England)
|August 30, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Emerging meningococcal genotypes are linked to unusual invasive disease presentations. Increased clinician awareness of these atypical symptoms is crucial for prompt diagnosis and improved patient outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus) is a major global cause of invasive infections, morbidity, and mortality.
  • The epidemiology of meningococcal disease is dynamic and unpredictable, with evolving genotypes.
  • Emerging meningococcal strains are associated with atypical clinical manifestations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review unusual clinical presentations of invasive meningococcal disease.
  • To highlight the link between changing meningococcal epidemiology and novel disease manifestations.
  • To emphasize the need for enhanced clinician and public health awareness.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of invasive meningococcal disease cases.
  • Analysis of clinical presentations associated with recent epidemiological shifts.
  • Synthesis of information on emerging meningococcal genotypes and their clinical impact.

Main Results:

  • Atypical presentations, including abdominal symptoms, septic arthritis, and bacteremic pneumonia, are increasingly recognized.
  • These unusual forms can lead to misdiagnosis due to non-specific early symptoms.
  • Delayed diagnosis of atypical meningococcal disease is associated with higher fatality rates.

Conclusions:

  • Changes in meningococcal epidemiology are associated with a broader spectrum of clinical presentations.
  • Clinicians and public health specialists require heightened awareness of these unusual presentations.
  • Prompt recognition and management are essential for improving outcomes in invasive meningococcal disease.
Keywords:
Neisseria meningitidisclinical formsepidemiologyinvasive meningococcal disease

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