Mima polymorpha Meningitis in the Young

TWO AND ONE-HALF decades ago, DeBord¹ encountered an apparently distinctive group of gram-negative diplococci which mimicked certain clinical and bacteriological features of Neisseria gonorrhoeae; he proposed that these agents be grouped into a tribe called Mimeae. Since then, increasing numbers of reports^2-5 in the English literature have confirmed this tribe's etiologic role in a wide variety of primary clinical infections. Reports^6-9 of Mima polymorpha meningitis have appeared sporadically since DeBord's¹⁰ first description, but recently sufficient cases have accumulated to outline a characteristic clinical picture. We report two instances of meningitis caused by M polymorpha, var. oxidans to call attention to their resemblance to meningococcal meningitis and to the possibility of central nervous system infection caused by the Mima-like organisms.

Report of Cases  Case 1.—AS, a 16-year-old white schoolboy, entered the hospital because of a severe headache. Well until eight days prior to admission, he developed