Primary meningococcal arthritis in a COVID-19 18-year-old man: a case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) infection is associated with various complications. PMA (primary meningococcal arthritis) is a rare meningococcus-associated disease causing arthritis of the knee usually, without any signs of invasive meningococcal disease. No case of PMA in a COVID-19 (coronavirus disease, 2019) patient has yet been described. PMA mainly strikes young adults. PMA is not associated with any immunocompromising condition. It has a better outcome than usual septic arthritis CASE PRESENTATION: Herein, we report an 18-year-old man diagnosed with COVID-19, later admitted with persistent fever, right knee arthralgia and maculopapular rash. Due to family history, psoriasis and Henoch-Schönlein purpura were hypothesized and ruled out. Finally, synovial fluid culture confirmed Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B arthritis without any other symptoms of invasive meningococcal disease. Healing was achieved quickly with surgery and antibiotics. We concluded in a PMA. CONCLUSION: We describe here the first primary meningococcal arthritis in a COVID-19 patient and we hope to shine a light on this rare but serious complication.

Life threatening rickettsiosis and the role of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis syndrome (HLH): Case report of a 21-year-old woman.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) syndrome is an uncontrolled activation of macrophages, causing multiorgan dysfunction. The prognosis depends on the cause and the delay of diagnosis and treatment. Several infections can cause HLH, including rickettsia, a gram-negative bacterium. The diagnosis of rickettsia is based on clinical signs, including fever, headache, rash and sometimes tick bite site. The importance of an early diagnosis of rickettsia is the key. We present a case of rickettsia infection complicated with severe HLH occurring in a 21-year-old woman. The diagnosis was confirmed by serology 4 weeks after admission. She was treated with immunoglobulin, corticosteroids, and doxycycline with a favorable outcome.