Clinical manifestations and course of meningococcal disease in 562 patients.
Fjalë kyçe
Abstrakt
To describe the clinical manifestations and course of meningococcal disease (MD) data were collected on patients with culture-proven MD, reported in the Netherlands between April 1, 1989 and April 30, 1990 by means of a questionnaire completed by the specialist in attendance. During the study period, 562 patients (295 males, 267 females) were reported. The age of the patients ranged from 2 weeks to 88 years. Of the patients, 57.8% were classified as meningitic, 20.3% as bacteraemic and 21.9% as both meningitic and bacteraemic. In 4.6% of the patients a predisposing factor was present, and in 1.4% a previous episode of meningitis had occurred. A positive family history of meningitis was reported in 12.9% of the patients. On admission, 65.2% of the patients had haemorrhagic skin lesions, 7.9% coma and 4.2% seizures. During admission, 17.8% of the patients developed serious complications. The fatality rate was 7.7%. In 73.2% of the deceased, death occurred within 2 days after admission. Of the survivors, 8.5% recovered with serious sequelae. In conclusion, 16% of the patients with meningococcal disease either died or became severely disabled. Prevention of this putative life-threatening disease seems to be the only means of circumventing the problems caused by this serious condition.