Meningococcemia is a life-threatening infection that occurs when
the meningococcus, Neisseria meningitidis, invades the blood
stream. There is usually bleeding into the skin (petechiae and
purpura), and the tissue in these areas may die (become necrotic or
gangrenous). If the patient survives, the areas heal with scarring.
This picture demonstrates more hemorrhage and little tissue death.
Review Date: 05/20/2011
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of
General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington
School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical
Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
