Atypical Presentation of Meningoencephalitis in an Infant Caused by Meningococcemia and Complicated by Ventriculitis with Bilateral Extra Axial Septated Collection
Authors:
Abdullatif Alkhurayji
, Haitham Almoffarreh
, Dina Alafandi
, Atheer Ghous
, Leena Taha Mohamed Hassan Abdalla
, Mohammed Alshahrani
Abstract
Background: The diagnosis of meningitis in the infancy period is a challenging. Clinical evaluation and high index of suspicion with early empirical treatment guidelines continue to evolve and support physician efforts to decrease the morbidity and mortality associated with pediatric meningitis. Case report: We report a case of a previously healthy 2-month-old male who presented with excessive crying, preceded by subjective fever and watery diarrhea, for one day without any other symptoms. Parents gave multiple antipyretic doses at home for irritability which might mask his fever. The patient was tachycardic with an unremarkable physical exam. Full septic work-up done after stabilization of the patient and empirical antibiotics started. His blood culture grew Neisseria meningitides which caused meningoencephalitis and ventriculitis with bilateral extra-axial collection, the patient was in septic shock with multiple organ dysfunction. Conclusion: Meningococcal meningitis in the neonatal and infancy periods remains a serious health threat with high morbidity and mortality. This case report urges the physician to keep a high index of suspicion by taking detailed history and frequent assessment in each suspected cases as the clinical presentations, signs and symptoms in the infancy period are not specific nor classic to guide the physician.
Keywords: Infant, Meningoencphalitis, Ventriculitis, Meningococcemia
Pubmed Style
Abdullatif Alkhurayji, Haitham Almoffarreh, Dina Alafandi, Atheer Ghous, Leena Taha Mohamed Hassan Abdalla, Mohammed Alshahrani. Atypical Presentation of Meningoencephalitis in an Infant Caused by Meningococcemia and Complicated by Ventriculitis with Bilateral Extra Axial Septated Collection. SJE Med. 2024; 08 (April 2024): 148-152. doi:10.24911/SJEMed.72-1709657723
Publication History
Received: March 06, 2024
Accepted: March 13, 2024
Published: April 08, 2024
Authors
Abdullatif Alkhurayji
Pediatric Emergency Department, King Abdullah Specialist Children Hospital, Ministry of the National Guard - Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University For Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Haitham Almoffarreh
Pediatric Emergency Department, King Abdullah Specialist Children Hospital, Ministry of the National Guard - Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University For Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Dina Alafandi
Pediatric Emergency Department, King Abdullah Specialist Children Hospital, Ministry of the National Guard - Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University For Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Atheer Ghous
Pediatric Department, Ministry of the National Guard- Health Affairs, Almadinah, Saudi Arabia
Leena Taha Mohamed Hassan Abdalla
Adjunct, Anatomy department, Emory and Henry College, Health and Sciences, Marion, VA, USA
Mohammed Alshahrani
Pediatric Emergency Department, King Abdullah Specialist Children Hospital, Ministry of the National Guard - Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University For Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Department of Pediatrics, King Fahad Military Medical complex, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.