Unusual Soft Tissue Manifestations of Neisseria Meningitidis Infections

Soft tissue involvement is an unusual presenting feature for children with meningococcal infection. We describe 2 children, 1 with conjunctivitis and another with a thyroglossal duct cyst abscess associated with Neisseria meningitidis, and review previous reports of these entities to emphasize the broad spectrum of meningococcal disease and pertinent aspects of treatment and of prophylaxis of contacts.