UNUSUAL PRESENTATION OF MENINGOCOCCAL INFECTION

Infection with Neisseria meningitidis usually results in life-threaten ing septicemia and/or meningitis. Occasionally, however, infection may be mild or localized. Awareness of this fact is essential to avoid de lays in diagnosis, management and prophylaxis. Three cases are present ed with localized or mild presentation. A 40-day-old male with purulen t conjunctivitis, a six-year-old male with peritonitis and a nine-year -old with C5 deficiency with Neisseria meningitidis bacteremia who pre sented with a one day history of fever, but was not toxic, and was tre ated with oral antibiotics. However, he returned with a clinical pictu re of systemic infection. Based on these three cases, we suggest an ag gressive diagnostic, therapeutic and prophylactic approach whenever me ningococcal infection is strongly suspected.