Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome

"You won't see a more dramatic case of the Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome," Chet said.

Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome is adrenal gland failure due to bleeding into the adrenal gland.

Severe meningococcal and pneumococcal infections may result in hemorrhaging of the adrenal glands, leading to Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome, which is often fatal.

Addison's disease is also known as chronic primary adrenocortical insufficiency, to distinguish it from acute primary adrenocortical insufficiency, most often caused by Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome.

Causes of acute adrenal insufficiency are mainly Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome, sudden withdrawal of long-term corticosteroid therapy, and stress in patients with underlying chronic adrenal insufficiency.

Loss of function of the adrenal glands can cause adrenal insufficiency and additional hemorrhage into the adrenals causes Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome, both of which can be life threatening.

Other severe complications include Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome (a massive, usually bilateral, hemorrhage into the adrenal glands caused by fulminant meningococcemia), adrenal insufficiency, and disseminated intravascular coagulation.

Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome is named after Rupert Waterhouse (1873-1958), an English physician, and Carl Friderichsen (1886-1979), a Danish pediatrician, who wrote papers on the syndrome, which had been previously described.

Adult Meningitis Infantile Meningitis Neonatal Meningitis Waterhouse-Friderichsen Syndrome, Meningitis Meningitis is characterized by inflammation of the membranes (meninges) around the brain or spinal cord.

Endotoxins are in large part responsible for the dramatic clinical manifestations of infections with pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria, such as Neisseria meningitidis, the pathogens that causes meningococcal disease, including meningococcemia, Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome, and meningitis.

Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome (WFS) or hemorrhagic adrenalitis or Fulminant meningococcemia, is defined as adrenal gland failure due to bleeding into the adrenal glands, caused by severe bacterial infection (most commonly the meningococcus Neisseria meningitidis).