Fatal meningococcemia.

Within the past six years, a case of bothWaterhouse-Freidrichsen Syndrome and fulminant meningococcemia have presented to Union Memorial Hospital. Both cases presented in markedly different fashions, differed in microbiologic serogrouping, showed minimal histopathologic similarities; however achieved ultimately the same outcome through two different pathological pathways. The following case reports illustrate two mechanisms through which N. Meningitis may pathogenize a host, both leading to complete cardiovascular collapse in less than 12 hours.