Neisseria meningitidis represents an uncommon pathogen of acute bacterial conjunctivitis. In this brief report, we describe a case of meningococcal conjunctivitis in an immunocompetent adult male, with a review of the literature. The patient went to the outpatient ophthalmology clinic complaining of severe ocular discomfort, burning, and redness for more than 2 weeks and, at slit lamp examination, he was diagnosed with a mild conjunctivitis. Microbiology cultures of ocular swabs revealed the growth of colonies, as pure culture, identified as N. meningitidis of serogroup B. A diagnosis of primary meningococcal conjunctivitis was made and treatment of patient with intramuscular injections of ceftriaxone in addition to topical moxifloxacin eye drops for 2 weeks led to clinical improvement and, finally, to a complete recovery, in accordance with microbiological findings. Ophthalmologists must be aware of the possibility of primary meningococcal conjunctivitis cases, even uncommon, and the need to treat with systemic antibiotics and their close contacts with adequate antibiotic chemoprophylaxis.

Meningococcal conjunctivitis in a 54-year-old man: case report and review of the literature / Gherardi, Giovanni; Surico, PIER LUIGI; Coassin, Marco; Di Zazzo, Antonio; D'Arezzo, Silvia; Angeletti, Silvia; Fontana, Carla; Petrosillo, Nicola. - In: CHEMOTHERAPY. - ISSN 2167-7700. - 68:4(2023), pp. 228-232. [10.1159/000530894]

Meningococcal conjunctivitis in a 54-year-old man: case report and review of the literature

Pier Luigi Surico
Secondo
Writing – Review & Editing
;
Silvia Angeletti
Membro del Collaboration Group
;
2023

Abstract

Neisseria meningitidis represents an uncommon pathogen of acute bacterial conjunctivitis. In this brief report, we describe a case of meningococcal conjunctivitis in an immunocompetent adult male, with a review of the literature. The patient went to the outpatient ophthalmology clinic complaining of severe ocular discomfort, burning, and redness for more than 2 weeks and, at slit lamp examination, he was diagnosed with a mild conjunctivitis. Microbiology cultures of ocular swabs revealed the growth of colonies, as pure culture, identified as N. meningitidis of serogroup B. A diagnosis of primary meningococcal conjunctivitis was made and treatment of patient with intramuscular injections of ceftriaxone in addition to topical moxifloxacin eye drops for 2 weeks led to clinical improvement and, finally, to a complete recovery, in accordance with microbiological findings. Ophthalmologists must be aware of the possibility of primary meningococcal conjunctivitis cases, even uncommon, and the need to treat with systemic antibiotics and their close contacts with adequate antibiotic chemoprophylaxis.
2023
case report; Neisseria meningitidis; primary meningococcal conjunctivitis
01 Pubblicazione su rivista::01i Case report
Meningococcal conjunctivitis in a 54-year-old man: case report and review of the literature / Gherardi, Giovanni; Surico, PIER LUIGI; Coassin, Marco; Di Zazzo, Antonio; D'Arezzo, Silvia; Angeletti, Silvia; Fontana, Carla; Petrosillo, Nicola. - In: CHEMOTHERAPY. - ISSN 2167-7700. - 68:4(2023), pp. 228-232. [10.1159/000530894]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/1714776
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