Sporadic military meningococcal disease: a diversity of presentations

Thirty-four cases of meningococcal disease were identified in a retrospective survey of nine US Army posts in the southeastern United States from June 1977 to August 1979. Group B organisms predominated in dependents and civilian communities surrounding two of the posts, while active-duty personnel had a greater variety of organisms, with groups Y and C predominating. The spectrum of clinical presentation and severity was diverse. Six cases of pneumonia with bacteremia occurred, all in basic trainees. A case of chronic meningococcemia was identified, as was one case of dermatitis-arthritis in a pregnant woman, which mimicked gonococcemia. Clinicians should be alert to the possibility of sporadic meningococcal disease in military personnel and their dependents.