The usefulness of skin culture in the diagnosis of chronic meningococcaemia.

Abstract

We deal with the second reported case of chronic meningococcaemia in which the culture of skin biopsy led to the diagnosis. A 46-year-old man presented a history of recurrent fever and rash. Laboratory studies revealed an inflammatory syndrome. Serologic tests as well as blood culture tests were negative. The histological examination of skin lesions revealed a perivascular infiltrate in the dermis without any picture of leukocytoclastic vasculitis. A culture of skin specimen tested positive for Neisseria meningitidis (N. meningitidis). After a week of antibiotic treatment, the patient recovered with no recurrence of either fever or rash over a two year period.