Meningococcal Disease (Neisseria meningitidis)
2010 Case Definition

Suspected

• Clinical purpura fulminans in the absence of a positive blood culture; OR
• Gram-negative diplococci, not yet identified, isolated from a normally sterile body site (e.g., blood or cerebrospinal fluid [CSF]).

Probable

• Detection of N. meningitidis-specific nucleic acid in a specimen obtained from a normally sterile body site (e.g.,. blood or CSF), using a validated polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, OR
• Detection of N. meningitidis antigen:
  • in formalin-fixed tissue by immunohistochemistry (IHC); OR
  • in CSF by latex agglutination.

Confirmed

• Isolation of Neisseria meningitidis:
  • From a normally sterile body site (e.g., blood or cerebrospinal fluid, or, less commonly, synovial, pleural, or pericardial fluid), OR
  • From purpuric lesions.

• Meningococcal Disease (Neisseria meningitidis) | 2015 Case Definition
• Meningococcal Disease (Neisseria meningitidis) | 2005 Case Definition
• Meningococcal Disease (Neisseria meningitidis) | 1997 Case Definition
• Meningococcal Disease (Neisseria meningitidis) | 1990 Case Definition