Adult ; Corneal Diseases ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Multiple Myeloma ; complications ; diagnosis

INTRODUCTIONThe aim of this case series is to describe the clinical course of 2 patients with Neisseria meningitidis corneal ulcers.

CLINICAL PICTUREA 49-year-old man (Patient 1) and a 22- year-old man (Patient 2) both experienced eye pain and were found to have corneal ulcers with surrounding infiltrate and ground-glass appearance. Gram-negative diplococci were seen in the first case. N. meningitidis was isolated in culture of corneal scrapings from both patients.

TREATMENTPatient 1 was treated with levofloxacin (0.5%) and cefazolin (50 mg/mL) eye drops hourly and intravenous ceftriaxone and oral rifampicin. Patient 2 was treated with cefazolin (50 mg/mL) and gentamicin (14 mg/mL) eye drops hourly, as well as intravenous ceftriaxone.

OUTCOMEThe corneal ulcers resolved with anterior stromal scarring and no impairment of vision.

CONCLUSIONSCorneal ulcers caused by N. meningitidis may respond well to treatment without permanent visual sequelae. However, in view of the potential ocular and systemic complications, it is important to investigate and treat patients with N. meningitidis infection aggressively.

Adult ; Cornea ; microbiology ; pathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Eye Infections, Bacterial ; microbiology ; pathology ; Humans ; Keratitis ; microbiology ; pathology ; Male ; Meningococcal Infections ; microbiology ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Neisseria meningitidis ; isolation & purification