Abstract

OUTBREAKS OF SEROGROUP C INVASIVE MENINGOCOCCAL DISEASE IN "AFRICAN MENINGITIS BELT": CLUE TO DISTINCTIVE CLINICAL FEATURES

Balarabe S. A.*

ABSTRACT

Acute Meningococcal disease is a life-threatening infection. It presents clinically in two major forms – meningitis and septicemia. These may occur as isolated cases or more commonly both together. Although, symptoms of acute bacterial meningitis due to serotype C infection, are virtually the same as the symptoms for the other meningococcal strains, more distinctive features emerge, that include: Excessive drowsiness, breathlessness, cold extremities, pale or mottled skin and athralgia. This review tend to shed light on some of these distinctive features, that are less known to clinicians and may lead to misdiagnosis with resultant delay in treatment.

Keywords: Clinical presentation Invasive Meningococcal Disease, Serogroup C, Meningococcemia, Cerebrospinal Meningitis, Cerebrospinal fluid.