NEISSERIA-MENINGITIDUS - 15 CASES OF BRONCHOPULMONARY INFECTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH SEPTICEMIA

From 1989 to 1995, 4,053 meningococcal strains with a clinical informa tion form were sent to the National Reference Center for Meningococci (NRCM). Among these strains 569 meningococci (14.04%) were isolated fr om secretions of the bronchopulmonary tract by expectoration or fibros copy protected or not from contamination by microflora. Fifteen observ ations associated an infection of bronchopulmonary syndrome and a meni ngococcemia without any other symptoms. These patients were in general elderly (mean = 71.3 years old) except for two cases : one of them pr esented sickle cell anemia and the other was very young (13 months). I n all cases, there were signs of clinical and X-ray pneumopathies. Amo ng the fifteen cases described, eight cases occurred during the winter , and four during the spring. Twelve were described in countries north of the Loire. Serogroup Y was isolated six times, serogroup B four ti mes and serogroup C three times. The small quantity of cases did not p ermit us to study the distribution of serotype and serosubtype. Three patients, aged 92, 86 and 74 years old, died from the meningococcal in fection.