Meningococcal disease due to Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W135 in children. Clinical aspects and outcome

Meningococcal disease due to Neisseria meningitidis of serogroup W135 (N. meningitidis W135) is increasing in France. Clinical and outcome data concerning these infections in children are scarce. We report 5 cases of children hospitalised in our unit between June 2000 and December 2002 for N. meningitidis W135 infection. Among these 5 children aged 19 months to 11 years, 3 presented with a primary meningitis and 4 with primary or secondary extra-meningeal involvement, articular in 3 cases, pericardial in 2 cases and ocular in one case. The outcome was favourable without after effects in 4 cases, marked by a resistant prolonged post-meningococcal inflammatory syndrome. Extra-meningeal septic and/or non septic complications are frequent and a prolonged post meningococcal inflammatory syndrome is reported. In N. meningitidis W135 infections a careful clinical evaluation of potential extra-meningeal complications and a long term follow up of children are needed.