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Meningitis rash with no other symptoms

Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 12:54 pm
by vasu
I picked my son from a class yesterday and his face was covered with red rash. It looked like a meningitis rash. He showed no other symptoms which are associated with the infection. But to put our minds at rest we took him to A&E. They did blood test and kept him for observation for few hours incase the rash spreads. He did not have any infection according to the blood works. So they let us go telling us that it was viral. We were still unsatisfied hence we went to our GP today. He said that it was a mengitis rash but he did not have meningitis!
Does anyone have any experience such as this? I am confused and frankly a bit panicky. He is completely fine except for the rash that are not spreading. Please share some insight.

Re: Meningitis rash with no other symptoms

Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 1:32 pm
by talea51
I think you've done everything you can do so far. I would suggest that you keep a very close eye on him and if he develops any other kinds of symptoms to take him straight back to A&E. You could go and ask at A&E for a lumbar puncture as that is the definitive test for meningitis but it's extremely painful and they are unlikely to do it if your son is not showing any symptoms just because it really is very painful.

Good luck, hopefully it's just a rash that will disappear in a few days.

Re: Meningitis rash with no other symptoms

Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 1:42 pm
by kenyancowgirl
The fact that he has no other symptoms is probably a positive, and if the hospital and the doctor have checked him out, then all you can rally do is keep an eye on him to see if anything else changes. We have had quite a lot of experience of slapped cheek syndrome, which does look very like a meningitis rash and only appears on the face - it isn't very pleasant, and can be accompanied by a high temperature, but not always - however, it is not advisable for pregnant women to be exposed to it - possibly it could be this?

Re: Meningitis rash with no other symptoms

Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 1:44 pm
by vasu
talea51 wrote:I think you've done everything you can do so far. I would suggest that you keep a very close eye on him and if he develops any other kinds of symptoms to take him straight back to A&E. You could go and ask at A&E for a lumbar puncture as that is the definitive test for meningitis but it's extremely painful and they are unlikely to do it if your son is not showing any symptoms just because it really is very painful.

Good luck, hopefully it's just a rash that will disappear in a few days.


Thank you for your reply. Does meningitis still occur even when vaccinated against it?

Re: Meningitis rash with no other symptoms

Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 1:52 pm
by talea51
vasu wrote:
talea51 wrote:I think you've done everything you can do so far. I would suggest that you keep a very close eye on him and if he develops any other kinds of symptoms to take him straight back to A&E. You could go and ask at A&E for a lumbar puncture as that is the definitive test for meningitis but it's extremely painful and they are unlikely to do it if your son is not showing any symptoms just because it really is very painful.

Good luck, hopefully it's just a rash that will disappear in a few days.


Thank you for your reply. Does meningitis still occur even when vaccinated against it?
It can as there are different forms of meningitis.

Re: Meningitis rash with no other symptoms

Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 1:56 pm
by southbucks3
My hubby had this about 20 years ago...it is very scary, it is called purpura, and like your doc said is the rash symptom of meningitis, but can occur for other reasons.
The rash cleared up within a week, but you do have to make sure it is not spreading too rapidly or over too much of a large area. Dh ended up with it all down one leg, and his chest.
Hope it clears up soon

Re: Meningitis rash with no other symptoms

Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 2:08 pm
by vasu
southbucks3 wrote:My hubby had this about 20 years ago...it is very scary, it is called purpura, and like your doc said is the rash symptom of meningitis, but can occur for other reasons.
The rash cleared up within a week, but you do have to make sure it is not spreading too rapidly or over too much of a large area. Dh ended up with it all down one leg, and his chest.
Hope it clears up soon
Thank you for your reply. The rash has not spread so thank God for that. Thank you for providing a name for this condition.

Re: Meningitis rash with no other symptoms

Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 2:13 pm
by vasu
vasu wrote:
southbucks3 wrote:My hubby had this about 20 years ago...it is very scary, it is called purpura, and like your doc said is the rash symptom of meningitis, but can occur for other reasons.
The rash cleared up within a week, but you do have to make sure it is not spreading too rapidly or over too much of a large area. Dh ended up with it all down one leg, and his chest.
Hope it clears up soon
Thank you for your reply. The rash has not spread so thank God for that. Thank you for providing a name for this condition.

I read through the info about Purpura. The doctor did check his urine and blood and was found to be normal. So that's good, right?

Re: Meningitis rash with no other symptoms

Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 2:36 pm
by southbucks3
I just called him up....really stretching the memory cells here, but he said they thought it was his bodies way of dealing with a cold infection he'd had, and it sometimes happens.

Just keep an eye on him, sounds like your doc is on the ball too.

Re: Meningitis rash with no other symptoms

Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 3:28 pm
by scarlett
I think the main thing would be to look at your son's clinical presentation as a whole. Is it just a rash with no other symptoms you mean? Although it's possible for.initial blood tests to come back ok, meningitis doesn't tend to hang around and by now your son would be quite unwell. There are lots of viral infections going around at the moment and strange , non blanching rashes can be part of the picture. Often, you will get a rash after you are recovering from something as it's your body's way of flushing out the culprit, so to speak.

So, I think if your son isn't lethargic, drinking well, passing urine and no other worrying symptoms, I would accept the a/e drs advice and just ride it through. Give him piriton if it's itchy, paracetamol for temperature, comfort etc. Hope he feels better soon.