Uncommon Presentation of Meningococcal Pneumonia in Vietnam: A Case Report

Abstract

Abstract This is a case report of an elderly male patient who was diagnosed with meningococcal pneumonia resulting in respiratory failure. The patient had pre-existing conditions of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and prostate cancer. Upon admission, the patient exhibited symptoms such as a purulent cough producing sputum, dyspnea, decreased oxygen saturation, and chest X-ray images that were consistent with pneumonia. The bacteria responsible for the infection was identified as Neisseria meningitidis through bacterial culture, which was found to be antibiotic-resistant. The patient did not show any signs of septicemia or meningitis. Treatment was initiated with an appropriate antibiotic regimen, and the patient was discharged after demonstrating improvement over 10 days. Close contacts of the patient were given prophylactic antibiotics, and no secondary infections were recorded. In this article, we will present a detailed case report, and provide an overview of the epidemiology of meningococcal infections in Vietnam, as well as summarizing the clinical characteristics of meningococcal pneumonia cases globally.