Bacterial Meningitis

8. What is the significance of arthritis after meningococcal meningitis? A significant number of patients with meningococcal disease develop inflammatory polyarthritis about a week after the onset of infection. In most cases, this is a sterile, immune complex phenomenon that responds to anti-inflammatory therapy. If joint effusions are present, they should be aspirated to exclude septic arthritis and crystalline arthritis. TH

Dr. Ross is a hospitalist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (Boston) and a fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

References

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4. van de Beek D, de Gans J, Tunkel AR, et al. Community-acquired bacterial meningitis in adults. N Engl J Med. 2006 Jan 5;354(1):44-53.