title: Severe meningococcal infection: a review of epidemiology, diagnosis, and management.
abstract: Neisseria meningitidis, also known as meningococcus, is a relatively uncommon cause of invasive infection, but when it occurs it is frequently severe and potentially life threatening. Meningococcus should be considered and investigated promptly as a potentially etiologic pathogen in any patient with meningitis, or sepsis accompanied by a petechial rash. Suspected patients should receive early appropriate antimicrobial therapy concomitantly with confirmatory invasive diagnostic tests. Vaccines have reduced the incidence of infection with certain non-B meningococcal serogroups, and new serotype B vaccines are on the horizon. This article reviews the epidemiology, diagnosis, and management of severe meningococcal infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Calgary and Alberta Health Services, 3500 26th Avenue Northeast, Calgary, Alberta T1Y 6J4, Canada.
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Campsall
authors.forename: Kevin B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Laupland
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Niven
mesh_terms: D018806:APACHE; D061605:Administration, Intravenous; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D018890:Chemoprevention / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018563:Disease Notification; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D011379:Prognosis; D055665:Purpura Fulminans / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Antimicrobial therapy; Diagnosis; Meningococcal infection; Meningococcus; Neisseria meningitidis; Sepsis