CLINICAL AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL FEATURES OF MENINGOCOCCAL INFECTION AND ITS EARLY DIAGNOSIS IN RESIDENTS OF THE TRANSCARPATHIAN REGION

Abstract

The aim: To identify clinical and epidemiological features of meningococcal infection on the initial day of a patient’s medical consultation, as well as the efficacy of laboratory examinations. Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis of 76 patients’ histories diagnosed with meningococcal disease was carried out. Results: Children were more susceptible to meningococcal disease (p < 0.001). The majority of children were of preschool age, with the minority being adolescents and children under the age of one year. Among children disease incidence did not depend on gender. Among adults, the majority were women (p=0.002). All patients had a family history of a disease, close relatives tested positive for meningococcal diseases (p=0.039). The main symptom discovered during the primary examination on the day of admission to the hospital was a hemorrhagic rash (p<0.001). Most cases were of moderate severity (p<0.001) and cases of children having meningococcemia (p<0.001). A typical rash was found in 40% of patients with generalized meningococcal disease. A complete blood count showed leukocytosis in 47.8% of all cases. The most effective method of confirming the diagnosis was a thick blood smear and microscopic examination of cerebrospinal fluid (p<0.001). Conclusions: Patients in the Transcarpathian region mainly develop an atypical form of meningococcal disease. Only half of all patients diagnosed with meningococcemia had a classical hemorrhagic rash. Generalized forms of meningococcal disease may proceed with normal or subfebrile temperature and without severe leukocytosis. We doubt the use of bacteriological methods of laboratory diagnosis due to their low effectiveness. The most sensitive method of laboratory diagnosis is a microscopic examination of blood smear, and cerebrospinal fluid.