Meningococcal disease--treatment of patients and household contacts below the age of 15 years.

Based on extensive experience and studies, some guidelines for the treatment of meningococcal disease are presented. The physician should be watchful for signs of meningococcal disease in its early phases and be ready to institute antibiotic and fluid therapy immediately. During transport of the patient to hospital, emergency medical treatment should be continued, and the hospital personnel should be alerted to receive the patient. At the hospital, a team of physicians should be ready to deal with the ventilatory, circulatory, fluid and electrolyte problems, and other complications of meningococcaemia, as well as to ensure administration of appropriate therapy. Antibiotic therapy for household contacts should be instituted as rapidly as possible. In this way it is hoped that the toll from this devastating infection in Norway may be lessened.