Suipestifer Septicemia and Meningitis Complicating Meningococcic Septicemia and Meningococcic Meningitis

Since 1931 there have been at the Harriet Lane Home twenty-eight cases of infection with the suipestifer bacillus. Almost all the patients were Negro children. Only three deaths occurred. The source of the infection is yet unknown, and it is interesting that several of the patients were nursing infants. Most of the cases (more than three fourths) were instances of primary infection with this organism, while in a few a suipestifer septicemia followed some other infection, most often pneumonia. The commonest picture was that of a paratyphoid-like fever. Complications most commonly seen were pyarthroses and suppurative and nonsuppurative osteomyelitis. Thrombocytopenia and purpura occurred twice. Specific symptoms were absent. Diagnosis was made usually by blood culture. Specific agglutinins for the organism are developed by most patients. The case herewith reported is of particular interest in that it presents a rare manifestation of the suipestifer infection. REPORT OF CASE