LAB WORK
TREATMENT OPTIONS
CLINICAL NOTES
- G(-) diplococcus, polysaccharide capsule; 13 serogroups (based on capsule)
TREATMENT OPTIONS
- Almost all strains are susceptible to penicillins - Drug of choice is Rocephin or high dose penicillin G
- Most strains resistant to sulfonamides
CLINICAL NOTES
- Typically affects young kids, college freshmen, and military recruits
- Second most common cause of community-acquired meningitis; can also cause pneumonia, myocarditis, and bacteremia (persistent meningococcal bacteremia, or chronic meningococcemia, associated with low grade fever, rash, and arthritis)
- Petechial rash - characteristic of meningococcal disease
- Lesions 1-2 mm in diameter, typically on trunk or lower parts of the body
- Associated with thrombocytopenia which may be an indicator of disseminated intravascular coagulopathy
- Immunization
- Two types of active quadrivalent vaccines against serotypes A, C, Y, and W-135; does not prevent serotype B which is responsible for invasive disease in infants
- Menactra: conjugate vaccine, preferred over polysaccharide vaccine in patients 55 years old or younger
- Menomune: polysaccharide vaccine
- Two types of active quadrivalent vaccines against serotypes A, C, Y, and W-135; does not prevent serotype B which is responsible for invasive disease in infants