Neisseria meningitidis peritonitis in a CAPD patient: first case report and review of the literature.

Only 15 cases of any etiology of Neisseria meningitidis peritonitis have been reported in the world literature since the first case in 1917. We report the first case in a continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patient presenting with abdominal pain and cloudy peritoneal dialysis fluid. A lumbar puncture was normal. The patient died despite therapy with ceftriaxone. Autopsy confirmed this was a case of primary N. meningitidis peritonitis. Of the 15 cases of N. meningitidis reported as a cause of peritonitis, 9 patients were less than age 35 with no underlying diseases. Five cases were associated with cirrhosis or alcohol abuse. Two cases were associated with meningitis, and 1 patient was on steroid therapy for systemic lupus erythematosus. Nine of 15 patients recovered. In conclusion, N. meningitidis should be considered as another rare cause of peritonitis in patients on CAPD.