title: [Meningococcal meningitis--familial outbreak].
abstract: Severe infections caused by Neisseria meningitidis, clinically appearing as meningitis or sepsis, are constantly noted in developed countries, including Poland. Because of rapid clinical course and mortality rate they continue to pose a serious clinical problem. Most cases are sporadic ones, caused by the contact with a healthy carrier of N. meningitidis. Familial and group outbreaks are rare, being responsible for about 1% of cases. However, in family members of patients with meningococcal infection the risk of developing the disease during the following week is about one hundred times higher than in the general population and they should receive an antibiotic prophylaxis. We describe a familial outbreak of meningococcal meningitis with typical clinical features, which appeared in two members of a family during the same day, with a case of acute pharyngitis most likely of the same etiology in the third person, a child. In that instance, practically simultaneous appearance of consecutive cases gave no time for prophylaxis. However, suspicion of meningococcal disease in the first patient contributed to the prompt hospitalization and diagnostics and proper treatment in the two following cases.
authors.affiliation: Klinika Chorób Zakaźnych i Neuroinfekcji AM w Białymstoku. samgryg@poczta.onet.pl
authors.forename: Sambor
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grygorczuk
authors.forename: Sławomir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pancewicz
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kochanowicz
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kondrusik
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zajkowska
authors.forename: Krystyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Małyszko
authors.forename: Justyna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pryszmont
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000302:isolation & purification*