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Fatal meningitis due to a capsulated Neisseria

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

A. L. M. Christie  and
G. T. Cook
A. L. M. Christie
Affiliation:
E.P.H. Laboratory, Sector XI
G. T. Cook
Affiliation:
Pathology Department, King's College Hospital
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In this paper a fatal case of meningitis is reported in which a capsulated Diplococcus of the Neisserian group was isolated from the purulent cerebrospinal fluid. A capsulated Gram-negative Diplococcus growing readily on agar was isolated from the nasopharynx and the cerebrospinal fluid by von Lingelsheim (1906, 1908) and called by him D. mucosus. Similar organisms were also isolated from the nasopharynx by Elser & Huntoon (1909). Cowan (1938) reported two cases operated on for cerebral tumour in which D. mucosus was grown from the cerebrospinal fluid. These strains were regarded by him as contaminants setting up a low-grade infection in a brain which, exposed for operation, offered little resistance to infection. Two cases of meningitis due to a capsulated Diplococcus have been reported by McFarlan (1941) and Bray & Cruickshank (1943); both these patients responded well to sulphapyridine and recovered. Edwards (1944) described a fatal case of meningitis due to an atypical Neisseria which in many respects resembled D. mucosus, although it was not capsulated. The rarity with which capsulated Neisseriae are associated with pathogenicity is considered sufficient justification for reporting the following case.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Hygiene , Volume 45 , Issue 2 , May 1947 , pp. 149 - 150
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1947

References

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