Abstract
Presented is a case of a l4-year-old-girl who succumbed to meningococcal infection within 9 hours after the first symptoms appeared and following 4-hour hospitalization. In the serum sample collected on admission, extremely high concentrations of interleukin 6 (IL-6), IL-8, IL-IO and endotoxin were found.
Although cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination excluded concurrent meningitis, CSF cytokine concentrations were rather high as well; by contrast, endotoxin was not detected in the CSF. Despite intensive care provided at the department of anaesthesiology and resuscitation, which comprised antibiotic and corticosteroid therapy, mechanical ventilation and circulatory support, the girl died on the same day, due to irreversible circulatory and respiratory failure.