[Fulminating pneumococcal septicemia in children].

Three cases of fulminating pneumococcal septicemia are reported in children aged respectively 3 months, 21 months and 6 years 1 month. The third patient only have been previously splenectomized for traumatic rupture of the spleen. This patient recovered when the two others with an expected normal spleen died quickly. The fulminating pneumococcal septicemia is characterized by the association of severe infection state, collapse and hemorrhagic syndrome with often gastric bleeding. Fatal outcome is observed in 50 to 70% of cases. Most cases occur in asplenic patients that can be explained by the role of the spleen in the infectious defense. This can be prevented by vaccination or penicillin but failure has been observed with both methods. Normal spleen, as observed in two of our patients seems to be rare. Functional hyposplenism might explain such facts.