Meningitis and Bacteremia due to Neisseria Meningitidis: Clinical and Laboratory Findings in 69 Cases from Örebro County, 1965 to 1977

Abstract

The records for 69 patients with meningococcal disease during 13 years in Orebro County were reviewed. The mean incidence during this period was 2.0/100 000 persons/year. The age group less than 1 year had the highest incidence, 15/100 000 infants/year. The mortality was 7.2% and sequelae were found in 13% of the patients. Four factors were significantly more frequent in the 7 patients with psycho-neurological sequelae: (1) Age greater than 40 years; (2) A condition prior to meningococcal disease that might have been associated with a lowered resistance; (3) Muscular hypertonia and/or marked irritability on admission; (4) Fever greater than 8 days after initiation of adequate treatment. Prodromal symptoms from the upper respiratory tract were noted in 50% of the cases. Signs and symptoms before and on admission, laboratory data and complicating events were analysed for each of 4 groups: meningitis without meningococcemia (12 patients); meningitis with meningococcemia (46): fulminant meningococcemia without meningitis (6); and benign meningococcemia (5).