MENINGOCOCCIC INFECTIONS; REPORT OF 43 CASES OF MENINGOCOCCIC MENINGITIS AND 8 CASES OF MENINGOCOCCEMIA

Abstract

Article1 January 1944MENINGOCOCCIC INFECTIONS; REPORT OF 43 CASES OF MENINGOCOCCIC MENINGITIS AND 8 CASES OF MENINGOCOCCEMIAH. WEBSTER SMITH, M.D., LEWIS THOMAS, M.D., JOHN H. DINGLE, M.D., SC.D., MAXWELL FINLAND, M.D., F.A.C.P.H. WEBSTER SMITH, M.D.Search for more papers by this author, LEWIS THOMAS, M.D.Search for more papers by this author, JOHN H. DINGLE, M.D., SC.D.Search for more papers by this author, MAXWELL FINLAND, M.D., F.A.C.P.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-20-1-12 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptRecent reports indicate that there has been a marked increase in the incidence of cerebrospinal fever in Great Britain since the outbreak of the present war and similar increases have been noted more recently in Canada and the United States.1, 2, 3, 4, 5These reports have also indicated that there has been a striking reduction in the case fatality rate in this disease as a result of the use of sulfonamide drugs. The literature concerning the present status of the diagnosis and treatment of meningococcic meningitis has been summarized recently by Dingle and Finland.6The present report deals with 51...Bibliography1. Prevalence of meningococcus meningitis in the United States during 1942 and the first 9 weeks of 1943, Public Health Rep., 1943, lviii, 491-492. Google Scholar2. DINGLETHOMASMORTON JHLAR: Treatment of meningococcic meningitis and meningococcemia with sulfadiazine, Jr. Am. Med. Assoc., 1941, cxvi, 2666-2668. CrossrefGoogle Scholar3. SILVERTHORNECAMERON NC: Studies on meningococcus infection, Jr. Pediat., 1941, xix, 618-627. CrossrefGoogle Scholar4. HODESSTRONG HLPS: Treatment of meningococcic meningitis with sulfonamides, Jr. Am. Med. Assoc., 1942, cxix, 691-694. CrossrefGoogle Scholar5. BEESONWESTERMAN PBE: Cerebrospinal fever. Analysis of 3575 case reports with special reference to sulfonamide therapy, Brit. Med. Jr., 1942, i, 497. Google Scholar6. DINGLEFINLAND JHM: Diagnosis, treatment and prevention of meningococcic meningitis with a résumé of the practical aspects of treatment of other acute bacterial meningitides, War Med., 1942, ii, 1-58. Google Scholar7. PICKRELL KL: The effect of alcoholic intoxication and ether anesthesia on resistance to pneumococcal infection, Bull. Johns Hopkins Hosp., 1938, lxiii, 238-260. Google Scholar8. MERRITTFREMONT-SMITH HHF: The cerebrospinal fluid, 1937, W. B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia. Google Scholar9. STRAUSSLOWELLFINLAND EFCM: Observations on the inhibition of sulfonamide action by para-aminobenzoic acid, Jr. Clin. Invest., 1941, xx, 189-197. CrossrefGoogle Scholar10. HERRICK WW: Early diagnosis and intravenous serum treatment of epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis, Jr. Am. Med. Assoc., 1918, lxxi, 612-617. CrossrefGoogle Scholar11. CLAPPPHILLIPSSTAHL FLSWHJ: Quantitative use of Neufeld reaction with special reference to titration of type II antipneumococcic horse sera, Proc. Soc. Exper. Biol. and Med., 1935, xxxiii, 302-304. CrossrefGoogle Scholar12. THOMASDINGLE LJH: Investigations of meningococcal infection. I. Bacteriological aspects, Jr. Clin. Invest., 1943, xxii, 353-359. CrossrefGoogle Scholar13. BRANHAMCARLIN SESA: Comments on a newly recognized group of the meningococcus, Proc. Soc. Exper. Biol. and Med., 1942, xlix, 141-144. CrossrefGoogle Scholar14. BRANHAMMITCHELLBRAININ SERHW: Gonococcic meningitis, Jr. Am. Med. Assoc., 1938, cx, 1804-1806. CrossrefGoogle Scholar15. BRANHAM SE: Gonococcal meningitis: In ch. VII, pp. 43-47. The gonococcus and gonococcal infection, edited by MOULTON, 1939, The Science Press, Lancaster, Pa. Google Scholar16. BRANHAM SE: The meningococcus (Neisseria intracellularis), Bact. Rev., 1940, iv, 59-96. CrossrefGoogle Scholar17. CARBONELLCAMPBELL AEP: Prolonged meningococcemia: report of 3 cases, Arch. Int. Med., 1938, lxi, 646-654. CrossrefGoogle Scholar18. FINLANDBROWNRAUH MJWAE: Treatment of pneumococcic meningitis. A study of ten cases treated with sulfanilamide alone or in various combinations with specific antipneumococcic serum and complement, including six recoveries, New England Jr. Med., 1938, ccxviii, 1033-1044. CrossrefGoogle Scholar19. BANKSMCCARTNEY HSJE: Meningococcal encephalitis, Lancet, 1942, i, 219-223. CrossrefGoogle Scholar20. WERTHAM F: The cerebral lesions in purulent meningitis, Arch. Neurol. and Psychiat., 1931, xxvi, 549-582. CrossrefGoogle Scholar21. PETERSONFINLAND OLM: The effect of food and alkali on the absorption and excretion of sulfonamide drugs after oral and duodenal administration, Am. Jr. Med. Sci., 1942, cciv, 581-588. CrossrefGoogle Scholar22. GWYN NB: A case of general infection by the Diplococcus intracellularis of Weichselbaum, Philadelphia Med. Jr., 1898, ii, 1255-1256. Google Scholar23. SALOMON H: Ueber Meningokokkenseptikämie, Berl. klin. Wchnschr., 1902, xxxix, 1045-1048. Google Scholar24. GWYN NB: Subacute meningococcal endocarditis, Arch. Int. Med., 1931, xlviii, 1110-1117. CrossrefGoogle Scholar25. HYLAND CM: Meningococcus endocarditis, Jr. Am. Med. Assoc., 1929, xcii, 1412. CrossrefGoogle Scholar26. NYELEMISCHMERVES RBCWL: Chronic meningococcemia complicated by acute endocarditis, ANN. INT. MED., 1942, xvi, 1245-1252. Google Scholar27. HARRISONABERNETHY FFTJ: Chronic meningococcemia: report of 2 cases both associated with nephritis, Clin. Misc., Mary I. Bassett Hosp., 1934, i, 3. Google Scholar28. BROWN CL: The skin lesions in meningococcus septicemia, Am. Jr. Dis. Child., 1924, xxvii, 598-602. Google Scholar29. MCLEANCAFFEY SJ: Endemic purpuric meningococcus bacteremia in early life: The diagnostic value of smears from the purpuric lesions, Am. Jr. Dis. Child., 1931, xlii, 1053-1074. Google Scholar30. DOCK W: Intermittent fever of seven months' duration due to meningococcemia; with an analysis of 68 reported cases of meningococcemia, Jr. Am. Med. Assoc., 1924, lxxxiii, 31-33. CrossrefGoogle Scholar31. NETTER A: Intermittent fever from meningococcal septicemia, Brit. Jr. Child. Dis., 1918, xv, 1-5. Google Scholar32. VESELLBARSKY HJ: Chronic meningococcus septicemia (chronic meningococcemia), Am. Jr. Med. Sci., 1930, clxxix, 589-599. Google Scholar33. MORGAN HJ: Chronic meningococcus septicaemia, Bull. Johns Hopkins Hosp., 1921, xxxii, 245-254. Google Scholar34. HERRICK WW: Extrameningeal meningococcus infections, Arch. Int. Med., 1919, xxiii, 409-418. CrossrefGoogle Scholar35. GULLANDLOGAN GLWR: Prolonged meningococcemia with terminal meningitis, Brit. Med. Jr., 1925, i, 687-688. CrossrefGoogle Scholar36. ELSERHUNTOON WJFM: Studies on meningitis, Jr. Med. Res., 1909, xv, 373-538. Google Scholar37. GOUNDRYPHALEN FWTH: Meningococcemia without meningitis; report of case, New York State Jr. Med., 1937, xxxvii, 491-492. Google Scholar38. HEINLE RW: Meningococcic septicemia; report of 5 new cases, Arch. Int. Med., 1939, lxiii, 575-583. CrossrefGoogle Scholar39. WILLIAMS RW: Gonococcic endocarditis; a study of twelve cases, with ten postmortem examinations, Arch. Int. Med., 1938, lxi, 26-38. CrossrefGoogle Scholar40. FUTCHER PH: The double quotidian temperature curve of gonococcal endocarditis. A diagnostic aid, Am. Jr. Med. Sci., 1940, cxcix, 23-27. CrossrefGoogle Scholar41. BRINTON D: Cerebrospinal fever, 1941, The Williams and Wilkins Co., Baltimore. Google Scholar42. APPELBAUM E: Chronic meningococcus septicemia, Am. Jr. Med. Sci., 1937, cxciii, 96-108. CrossrefGoogle Scholar43. HOYNE AL: The therapy of meningitis, Jr. Am. Med. Assoc., 1941, cxvii, 1973-1978. CrossrefGoogle Scholar44. HOLMDAVISON MLWE: Meningococcus pneumonia. I. The occurrence of post-influenzal pneumonia in which the Diplococcus intracellularis meningitidis was isolated. From observations at Camp Coetquidon, A. E. F., France, Bull. Johns Hopkins Hosp., 1919, xxx, 324-329. Google Scholar45. DANIELSSOLOMONJAQUETTE WBSWA: Meningococcic infection in soldiers, Jr. Am. Med. Assoc., 1943, cxxiii, 1-9. Google Scholar46. HILLLEVER LWHS: Meningococcic infection in an army camp, Ibid., 9-13. Google Scholar47. TOMPKINS VN: The diagnostic value of smears from purpuric lesions of the skin in meningococcic disease, Ibid., 31-32. Google Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Boston, Massachusetts*Received for publication June 11, 1943.From the Thorndike Memorial Laboratory, Second and Fourth Medical Services (Harvard), Boston City Hospital and the Departments of Medicine and of Bacteriology and Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston.This study was aided in part by a grant from the William W. Wellington Fund of the Harvard Medical School.Dr. Thomas was a Fellow of the Frederick Tilney Memorial Fund. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byEpidemiology and Control of Meningococcal Disease in Canada: A Long, Complex, and Unfinished StoryNanoformulations for the Therapy of Pulmonary InfectionsPHARYNGITIS (PHARYNGITIS, TONSILLITIS, TONSILLOPHARYNGITIS, AND NASOPHARYNGITIS)NASOPHARYNGITIS, PHARYNGITIS, AND TONSILLITISClinical Features of Mild Systemic Meningococcal Disease with Characterization of Bacterial IsolatesBenign Meningococcemia in Childhood: A Report of Five Cases with Clinical and Diagnostic RemarksIn the CommunityChronic meningococcemiaFulminating meningococcemia with gangreneAcute meningococcemiaMeningococcemia Without Meningitis in ChildrenGlycosuria and Hyperglycemia Associated with Acute MeningitisResults in the treatment of meningococcic meningitis with antitoxin and sulfonamide drugsTreatment of meningococcic meningitis in children with a single intravenous dose of sodium sulfadiazine 1 January 1944Volume 20, Issue 1Page: 12-32KeywordsDrugsHospital medicineImmunologyMedical servicesMeningitisMeningococcal diseaseMeningococcemiaRabbitsResearch laboratoriesSulfonamide ePublished: 1 December 2008 Issue Published: 1 January 1944 PDF downloadLoading ...