A four year old female presents to the emergency room with fever and a petechial rash. A sepsis workup is performed, and parenteral antibiotics are administered. Gram-negative diplococci are identified in the CSF. Which of the following is true of this condition?
Meningococcemia is a fulminant systemic rapidly progressing infection, which results in shock and is followed by death in 20% of children afflicted. The presence of meningitis has been shown to increase the survival rate to approximately 95%. Sensorineural deafness is the most common residual following bacterial meningitis. Penicillin, Ampicillin, or a third generation cephalosporin would be appropriate antibiotics to choose for treatment. Vancomycin spectrum of activity is limited to gram-positive organisms. Ref: Laumann A.E. (2005). Chapter 107. Dermatologic Conditions. In J.B. Hall, G.A. Schmidt, L.D. Wood (Eds), Principles of Critical Care, 3e.