[Recurrent fever and skin eruption revealing chronic meningococcemia].
BACKGROUND
Chronic meningococcemia is an unusual clinical presentation within the spectrum of infections due to Neisseria meningitidis.


METHODS
We report a 32-year-old man who presented with a 15-day history of fever and maculopapular skin rash, in the absence of meningeal irritation or severe sepsis manifestation. Blood culture identified N. meningitidis. Clinical course was uneventful after antibiotic treatment was initiated.


CONCLUSIONS
Early diagnosis of chronic meningococcemia is crucial for optimal management of the patient and his/her contacts. Such a diagnosis should be suspected in the presence of the characteristic clinical triad (recurrent fever, skin rash and arthralgia), and this clinical presentation should be distinguished from systemic vasculitis as inadequate prescription of corticosteroids may be deleterious.
Roux
M
M
Service de médecine interne, hôpital Saint-Antoine, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, université Pierre-et-Marie-Curie-Paris, 184, rue du Faubourg-Saint-Antoine, 75012 Paris cedex, France.
Sire
S
S
Lalande
V
V
Le Coustumier
A
A
Tiev
K-P
KP
Tolédano
C
C
Josselin-Mahr
L
L
Gain
M
M
Cabane
J
J
Kettaneh
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000382:microbiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005076:Exanthema / Q000382:microbiology*; D005334:Fever / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents