Chronic meningococcemia in immunocompetent children: three cases.

Chronic meningococcemia is a part of extra meningeal manifestations of meni ngococcal disease, Its diagnosis can be difficult because of lack of sensit ivity of blood cultures. Case report. - Three cases, concerning immunocompetent children, respective ly aged of 14, 10 and 4 years are reported The clinical course was characte rized by recurrent fever, inflammatory joint manifestations and diffuse mac ulopapules secondary centered by petechiae. Microbiological findings reveal ed in one case a positive throat culture and presence of meningococcal solu ble antigens in blood and urine. In the other hco cases, diagnosis was done after positive blood culture at the 7th, and 13th days of course. Conclusion, - The diagnosis should be considered in any children with a pro longed, recurrent fever and cutaneous and joint manifestations even if bloo d cultures remain negative. The response to therapy by usual antimeningococ cal antibiotics is dramatic and curative while a prolonged untreated course may be complicated by metastatic infection. (C) 1998 Elsevier, Paris.