MENINGOCOCCEMIA

Course overview

NEISSERIA MENINGITIDIS (MENINGOCOCCUS) IS AN IMPORTANT BACTERIAL INFECTION MANIFESTING AS MENINGITIS OR SEPTICEMIA, OR MORE OFTEN A COMBINATION OF BOTH. ASYMPTOMATIC PHARYNGEAL COLONIZATION IS THE INITIAL STEP OF INFECTION WITH HUMANS BEING THE NATURAL RESERVOIRS. FROM THE NASOPHARYNX, THE COCCUS REACHES THE MENINGES TRANSLOCATING ACROSS THE NASOPHARYNGEAL MUCOSA AND ALONG THE PERINEURAL SHEATH OF THE OLFACTORY NERVE, THROUGH THE CRIBRIFORM PLATE OF THE ETHMOID. BLOODSTREAM SPREAD TO THE MENINGES WILL CAUSE MENINGITIS. IN SOME CHILDREN, THE PREDOMINANT FEATURE IS CARDIOVASCULAR COLLAPSE LEADING TO SEPTIC SHOCK. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE PRESENTATION, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF MENINGOCOCCEMIA AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH THIS INFECTION.