Púrpura fulminante meningocóccica: presentación de un caso.

La purpura fulminante (PF) es una emergencia medica caracterizada por necrosis cutanea y coagulacion intravascular diseminada (CID), que puede progresar rapidamente a falla multiorganica por la oclusion trombotica de vasos. Aunque existen diversas causas de PF, el meningococo es el principal agente causante. Se presenta el caso de una mujer de 57 anos de edad con clinica abrupta de fiebre, deterioro general rapido y progresivo, y lesiones purpuricas generalizadas, en las que se aislo en medio de cultivo agar sangre Neisseria meningitidis en sangre y liquido cefalorraquideo. La evolucion torpida a pesar de antibioticoterapia, hemoderivados y terapia intensiva, demuestra una vez mas la alta mortalidad de esta entidad a pesar de un tratamiento precoz. Meningococcal fulminant purpura: A case report Abstract Fulminant purpura (PF) is a medical emergency characterized by cutaneous necrosis and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), which may progress rapidly to a multiorgan failure by thrombotic vessel occlusion. Although there are several causes of PF, meningococcus is the main causative agent. We report the case of a 57 years-old woman with abrupt clinical signs of fever, rapid and progressive general deterioration, and generalized purpuric lesions, in which Neisseria meningitidis was isolated in blood agar culture medium from blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples. The torpid evolution despite antibiotic therapy, blood products and intensive therapy, corroborates the high mortality of this entity even with an early treatment.