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Newborn meningitis rash


Meningitis - Symptoms - NHS

Symptoms of meningitis can appear in any order. Some may not appear at all. In the early stages, there may not be a rash, or the rash may fade when pressure is applied.

You should get medical help immediately if you're concerned about yourself or your child.

Trust your instincts and do not wait for all the symptoms to appear or until a rash develops.

Symptoms of meningitis and sepsis include:

  • a high temperature
  • cold hands and feet
  • vomiting
  • confusion
  • breathing quickly
  • muscle and joint pain
  • pale, mottled or blotchy skin (this may be harder to see on brown or black skin)
  • spots or a rash (this may be harder to see on brown or black skin)
  • headache
  • a stiff neck
  • a dislike of bright lights
  • being very sleepy or difficult to wake
  • fits (seizures)

Babies may also:

  • refuse feeds
  • be irritable
  • have a high-pitched cry
  • have a stiff body or be floppy or unresponsive
  • have a bulging soft spot on the top of their head

Someone with meningitis or sepsis can get a lot worse very quickly.

Call 999 for an ambulance or go to your nearest A&E immediately if you think you or someone you look after could have meningitis or sepsis.

Call NHS 111 for advice if you're not sure if it's anything serious.

If you’ve had medical advice and are still worried or any symptoms get worse, get medical help again.

The rash usually starts as small, red pinpricks before spreading quickly and turning into red or purple blotches.

Credit:

Mediscan / Alamy Stock Photo https://www.alamy.com/meningococcal-rash-image1683649.html?pv=1&stamp=2&imageid=83D4AFC7-AC4B-4271-B09C-727E90532943&p=17774&n=0&orientation=0&pn=1&searchtype=0&IsFromSearch=1&srch=foo%3dbar%26st%3d0%26pn%3d1%26ps%3d100%26sortby%3d2%26resultview%3dsortbyPopular%26npgs%3d0%26qt%3dATB0C2%26qt_raw%3dATB0C2%26lic%3d3%26mr%3d0%26pr%3d0%26ot%3d0%26creative%3d%26ag%3d0%26hc%3d0%26pc%3d%26blackwhite%3d%26cutout%3d%26tbar%3d1%26et%3d0x000000000000000000000%26vp%3d0%26loc%3d0%26imgt%3d0%26dtfr%3d%26dtto%3d%26size%3d0xFF%26archive%3d1%26groupid%3d%26pseudoid%3d788068%26a%3d%26cdid%3d%26cdsrt%3d%26name%3d%26qn%3d%26apalib%3d%26apalic%3d%26lightbox%3d%26gname%3d%26gtype%3d%26xstx%3d0%26simid%3d%26saveQry%3d%26editorial%3d1%26nu%3d%26t%3d%26edoptin%3d%26customgeoip%3d%26cap%3d1%26cbstore%3d1%26vd%3d0%26lb%3d%26fi%3d2%26edrf%3d0%26ispremium%3d1%26flip%3d0%26pl%3d

It does not fade if you press the side of a clear glass firmly against the skin.

Credit:

Alamy Stock Photo https://www.alamy.com/testing-of-meningococcal-rash-image589611.html?pv=1&stamp=2&imageid=6C8D2A33-C874-43AF-A58B-398C0D9552AF&p=17774&n=0&orientation=0&pn=1&searchtype=0&IsFromSearch=1&srch=foo%3dbar%26st%3d0%26pn%3d1%26ps%3d100%26sortby%3d2%26resultview%3dsortbyPopular%26npgs%3d0%26qt%3dA8FF2B%26qt_raw%3dA8FF2B%26lic%3d3%26mr%3d0%26pr%3d0%26ot%3d0%26creative%3d%26ag%3d0%26hc%3d0%26pc%3d%26blackwhite%3d%26cutout%3d%26tbar%3d1%26et%3d0x000000000000000000000%26vp%3d0%26loc%3d0%26imgt%3d0%26dtfr%3d%26dtto%3d%26size%3d0xFF%26archive%3d1%26groupid%3d%26pseudoid%3d195878%26a%3d%26cdid%3d%26cdsrt%3d%26name%3d%26qn%3d%26apalib%3d%26apalic%3d%26lightbox%3d%26gname%3d%26gtype%3d%26xstx%3d0%26simid%3d%26saveQry%3d%26editorial%3d1%26nu%3d%26t%3d%26edoptin%3d%26customgeoip%3d%26cap%3d1%26cbstore%3d1%26vd%3d0%26lb%3d%26fi%3d2%26edrf%3d0%26ispremium%3d1%26flip%3d0%26pl%3d

The rash can be harder to see on brown or black skin. Check paler areas, such as the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, roof of the mouth, tummy, whites of the eyes or the inside of the eyelids.

Credit:

Meningitis Research UK https://hscic365.sharepoint.com/sites/Pilot/NHSUK/Health%20AZ/Forms/AllItems.aspx?id=%2Fsites%2FPilot%2FNHSUK%2FHealth%20AZ%2FHealth%20A%2DZ%2FA%2DZ%20content%20audit%2FM%2FMeningitis%2FImage%20and%20section%20review%2007%202019%2FRe%5FPhotography%20of%20the%20meningitis%20rash%2Eeml&parent=%2Fsites%2FPilot%2FNHSUK%2FHealth%20AZ%2FHealth%20A%2DZ%2FA%2DZ%20content%20audit%2FM%2FMeningitis%2FImage%20and%20section%20review%2007%202019

If a rash does not fade under a glass, it can be a sign of sepsis (sometimes called septicaemia or blood poisoning) caused by meningitis and you should call 999 straight away.

Page last reviewed: 25 October 2022
Next review due: 25 October 2025

Meningitis Symptoms in Babies & Toddlers

Meningitis and septicaemia can happen together. Be aware of all the signs and symptoms of them in babies and toddlers. It is especially important to keep an eye on babies since they are unable to communicate when they are not feeling well

DO NOT wait for a rash. If your baby or toddler is ill and getting worse, get medical help immediately.

Symptoms can appear in any order. Some may not appear at all.

Common signs & symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia in babies and toddlers.

  • Fever, cold hands and feet

  • Refusing food and vomiting

  • Fretful, dislike being handled

  • Drowsy, floppy, unresponsive

  • Rapid breathing or grunting

  • Pale, blotchy skin. Spots/rash.
    See the Glass Test

  • Unusual cry, moaning

  • Tense, bulging fontanelle (soft spot)

  • Stiff neck, dislike bright lights

  • Convulsions/seizures

Early symptoms can include:

Fever, headache, vomiting, muscle pain and fever with cold hands and feet.

Someone with meningitis or septicaemia can get a lot worse very quickly. Keep checking them.

Trust your instincts – Get medical help immediately

Get medical help immediately

Why are the under-5s at risk?

Babies and young children are particularly vulnerable to meningitis as they cannot easily fight infection because their immune system is not yet fully developed. The most common causes of meningitis are bacteria and viruses.

Viral meningitis is rarely life-threatening, but can still make babies and young children very unwell. Most children will make a good recovery, but recovery can be slow. 

Bacterial meningitis can be fatal and needs rapid admission to hospital and urgent medical treatment. Whilst most children will make a good recovery, around 10% will die and some will be left with lifelong disabilities.

Find out more about the after-effects of meningitis and septicaemia.

Some bacteria that cause meningitis can also cause septicaemia (blood poisoning). The rash associated with meningitis is actually caused by septicaemia. You should never wait for a rash, it can be a late sign or may not appear at all. Learn more about the rash and glass test.

Download more information about meningitis in babies and children under 5.


  • Glass test

    A rash that does not fade under pressure is a sign of meningococcal septicaemia, do the glass test

  • Signs and symptoms

    By learning the signs and symptoms of the disease now, you could be saving a life in the future

  • Meningitis symptoms in adults

    A visual list of meningitis symptoms in adults

Meningitis, meningococcal infection.

Description of the elements of the rash.

Contents: rash in children.

Meningitis - inflammation of the pia mater of the brain or spinal cord, usually manifested by a triad of symptoms: fever, severe headache and / or change in mental status, stiff neck, but in some cases meningitis manifests itself with a rash .

Rash in children.

Rash in children on the face, on the trunk, on the extremities. Rash...


Rash in the form of small bruises, begins with small blue star-shaped spots and rapidly increases in number and diameter. One of the most dangerous rashes in children is a hemorrhagic rash with meningococcal infection (meningitis) .

This is an extremely dangerous disease, threatening the life of a child . If all of a sudden, against the background of a child’s high temperature, you find such a rash in him, especially if new elements of the rash appear one by one in a matter of minutes - URGENTLY call an ambulance .

Despite the fact that meningitis usually manifests itself as a fairly bright clinical picture, there are no pathognomonic symptoms indicating specifically meningitis , and therefore any manifestation of the disease - especially such a bright one as a rash - can help in the early diagnosis of such a formidable disease Read more: MENINGITIS. SYMPTOMS, DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, PREVENTION

With meningitis there is a so-called. petechial rash caused by multiple small hemorrhages into the skin. Most often, such a rash occurs with bacterial meningitis or with the most formidable course of meningitis - meningococcemia (meningococcal sepsis). The spots do not protrude from the surface of the skin, the color of the spots is pink to purple.

The rash is a small bruising that begins as small, often star-shaped spots and rapidly increases in number and diameter. New spots form right before your eyes. The spots that appear often merge, increasing in size, this can happen very quickly - this course of the disease is called lightning purpura .

Petechia (petechia; Italian petecchie spots, rash; synonym: petechial hemorrhage, pinpoint hemorrhage) - a spot on the skin or mucous membrane with a diameter of 1-2 mm, caused by capillary hemorrhage.

In order to distinguish a meningeal rash from any other, a simple glass beaker test is usually suggested:

Take a thin glass beaker and press it against the rash. If the rash has not disappeared or has not faded to almost complete disappearance, then this is a petechial rash that requires immediate examination by a doctor.

The glass beaker test is not a reliable test, and if the patient has the triad of symptoms characteristic of meningitis, a doctor should be consulted as soon as possible.

Bacterial meningitis - the second most common, but most formidable form of inflammation of the meninges . With bacterial meningitis, a fulminant course of the disease is possible, when only a few hours pass from the moment of the first symptoms to death . Read more: MENINGOCOCCAL MENINGITIS

Fever or fever

Any increase in body temperature is called a fever. What...


A meningitis rash can be difficult to see in dark areas of the skin. Light areas such as the palms and soles of the feet should be examined.

IMPORTANT: The appearance of a rash with symptoms of meningitis may indicate a deadly form of this disease meningococcemia or sepsis . If you find such a rash, contact your doctor immediately.

Contents: rash in children.

Author: Sergey Butriy

How to recognize one of the most dangerous infections for the child

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Ksenia Kolesnikova

In Russia, an atypical type of meningitis is becoming more and more common. How is the disease "disguised"? Who is at risk? Will vaccination help? This was stated in an exclusive interview with RG by the head of the laboratory for the epidemiology of meningococcal infection and bacterial purulent meningitis of the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor, Doctor of Medical Sciences Irina Koroleva.

Irina Stanislavovna, why are we talking about meningococcal infection right now? After all, doctors encountered this disease less and less often ...

Irina Koroleva: Indeed, from 2003 to 2017, the incidence has seriously decreased. But then the increase began again - and immediately by 10 percent per year: both in 2017 and in 2018. Today, the average figure for Russia is 0.52 per 100,000 people. That's not a lot. But there are regions where people get meningitis two to three times more often. In the Orel, Novgorod, Penza, Ulyanovsk, Omsk regions, Khabarovsk Territory, the Republic of Buryatia and Moscow. In the capital, the situation is especially alarming - the incidence is more than one per 100,000 people. The prognosis is not the most favorable.

Who is at risk?

Irina Koroleva: Meningitis is considered the most dangerous infection for children: about every fifth case ends in tragedy. Moreover, 70 percent of the sick are children under 14 years old. And in the most "acute" risk zone - babies up to a year. The disease affects the soft membranes of the brain: 20 percent have severe cognitive impairment, very often deafness occurs. That's why we're so active in vaccinating. The goal is to prevent the first case of the disease, save as many lives as possible.

How can a mother suspect an illness in a child?

Irina Koroleva: Perhaps there is no more insidious and unpredictable disease than meningococcal infection. The most important thing that should alert parents is a high temperature of 39-40 degrees, which is difficult to bring down. Even the flu, as a rule, does not give such a stable temperature. Unusual behavior of the child, a rash, an unbearable headache (even if the baby cannot tell, this can be suspected by his behavior) - these are the main signs. In principle, there may be other symptoms: photophobia, pale hands and feet. Or maybe not - the disease develops individually. There are acute forms of meningitis, in which the infectious process cascades, at lightning speed. And the bill is not for a day, but literally for hours. Therefore, at the first suspicions, it is urgent to call an ambulance and in no case refuse hospitalization. And in a hospital - not to refuse a lumbar puncture. This procedure is fundamentally important for the treatment of the child.

Why?

Irina Koroleva: An analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid will allow you to find out if there are purulent inflammations and accurately determine the pathogen itself. Pick the right antibiotic. Indeed, besides meningococcus, there are other bacteria: pneumococci, Haemophilus influenzae...

There is no more insidious and unpredictable disease than meningitis

The most common cause of meningitis in Russia for a long time was the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B. In second place - serogroup C, on the third - A, on the fourth - W. And it is the last W that worries us the most today. Why? If in the first three groups the incidence even decreases from year to year, then W-meningococcus (which has practically never been seen in Russia before) is steadily "taking positions". In Moscow, for example, last year it was he who caused half of all cases. The most dangerous thing here is that it is much more difficult to recognize even compared to a common infection - the symptoms can be completely atypical for meningitis.

So the disease is "disguised"?

Irina Koroleva: Exactly. If with ordinary meningitis the hospitalization period is 1-2 days, then with W - three to four. In the usual case, the rash appears on the first or second day, and with W - on the third or fourth. W-meningitis is more severe than usual, can give a picture of "acute abdomen". As a result, an incorrect diagnosis is made, the patient ends up in a non-core hospital and does not receive the necessary assistance on time. Because of this, the number of deaths is increasing.

A big positive is that serogroup W meningococcus is included in the modern quadrivalent vaccine, which is registered and used in Russia. It creates a stable immunity and can be shown from 9 months to 55 years.

Is meningitis prevention included in the national immunization schedule?

Irina Koroleva: Planned - no. Vaccination is indicated for people who are in the focus of infection. In addition, all conscripts are vaccinated. But we have already proposed to make changes to the national calendar and expand prevention according to epidemic indications. Include vaccination of children under five years of age at risk, include health workers. In Moscow, this problem has already been attended to - in city clinics, mothers are offered to vaccinate small children against meningitis. Under no circumstances should you give it up. The regions are also moving forward.

Rossiyskaya gazeta - Federal issue: No.

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