Rare fatal case of purpura fulminans due to pneumococcal sepsis in a child, associated with multiorgan failure.

Abstract

Introduction: Streptococcus pneumoniae is one of the associated bacteria that can cause the rare but high mortality hematological pathology known as purpura fulminans (PF) in both adults and children. Pediatric patients with PF can progress quickly to sepsis and multiorgan failure, especially immunocompromised individuals and young children. Due to the thrombotic blockage of blood arteries in PF, there is diffuse intravascular thrombosis and hemorrhagic infarction of the skin, which evolves from ecchymosis to skin necrosis, risk of limb sequelae, sepsis and fatality.

Case report: We present a case of a previously healthy 1-year and 9-months old female who was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases "Prof. Dr. Matei Balş"- Bucharest, Romania. On physical examination, she was febrile, hypotensive, tachycardic, and had erythematous patches on her left upper limb and trunk. Initial blood work was significant for creatinine 4.45 mg/dL, aspartate aminotransferase 112 U/L, alanine aminotransferase 130 U/L and fibrinogen 596 mg/dL. Hematological workup showed a white blood cells count of 34 × 10⁹/L, hemoglobin 9.7 g/dL, platelets 23000/L, D-dimers 89000 μg/L, and elevated PT and aPTT. Broad-spectrum antibiotics vancomycin and ceftriaxone were administrated. A lumbar puncture was performed for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis and culture grew Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 1A. She required peritoneal dialysis due to acute kidney injury (AKI) and surgeries for affected skin areas. After multiple organ system failures, our patient evolved rapidly to irreversible tissue necrosis and death.

Conclusions: We aim to report a rare case of PF associated with pneumococcal meningoencephalitis in an immunocompetent child, to better appreciate the risk of fatal evolution when managing this disease in children.