Adult respiratory distress syndrome and gonococcemia

A case of adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is described that was secondary to conococcal septicemia. The patient had severe hypoxemia and diffuse pulmonary infiltrates. The diagnosis of disseminated gonorrhea was confirmed by the isolation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae from one of several typical appearing skin lesions. The patient did not require mechanical ventilation and made a prompt recovery after a regimen of antibiotics was started. The association between ARDS and gonococcemia is extremely rare. It occurrence may be related to unusual properties of the gonococcal endotoxin or to the host response.