S. Angelini et al., NEISSERIA-MENINGITIDUS - 15 CASES OF BRONCHOPULMONARY INFECTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH SEPTICEMIA, Pathologie et biologie, 45(4), 1997, pp. 274-280
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.