Fulminant invasive meningococcal disease due to serogroup Y infection: a highly unusual case reflecting worrying increases in carriage and incidence.

A young man presented to accident and emergency with a short history of diarrhoea and vomiting, with no medical history. He deteriorated rapidly during triage and never regained consciousness. He was pronounced dead after hours of attempted resuscitation. He was found to have organisms suggestive of diplococci on his blood film and subsequently had MenY found via PCR testing. This case illustrates a highly unusual presentation of invasive meningococcal disease caused by MenY which is quietly and dangerously increasing in incidence in the UK, particularly in young healthy patients. All clinicians are reminded to be vigilant in order to diagnose and treat this often fatal disease as well as to promote uptake of the quadrivalent MenACWY vaccine.