Symptoms of Meningococcal Septicaemia

Meningococcal disease is a rare and severe illness that can appear as meningitis, septicaemia or both. Meningitis is an inflammation of the protective membranes around the brain and spinal cord, while septicaemia is blood poisoning.

Initial Symptoms

• Meningococcal septicaemia has some different symptoms from meningitis, which typically causes symptoms of high fever, headache and stiff neck. Meningococcal septicaemia begins with flu-like symptoms of fever and chills, body aches, malaise and nausea.

Progressive Symptoms

• The symptoms progress rapidly compared to the flu. The person's fever spikes, and he shivers and sweats. He experiences abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting. Joints can become swollen and this causes difficulty walking.

Other Possible Symptoms

• Other possible meningococcal septicaemia symptoms include confusion, lethargy, drowsiness, rapid breathing and rapid heartbeat, a bloated appearance and a pale or gray complexion.

Symptoms in Babies

• Babies may have different symptoms. The baby may refuse to eat, dislike being held, be less active and difficult to wake up, and moan, cry or whimper with a high pitch.

Rash

• People with meningococcal septicaemia often develop a rash after most of the other symptoms occur. The rash may begin as a pink, purple or red spot and progress to larger areas of red, purple or brownish spots or bruise-like spots.