J Korean Child Neurol Soc.  2010 Nov;18(2):237-243.

Clinical Manifestations and Treatment Outcome of Bacterial Meningitis in Neonates and Infants Under the Age of Three Months

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea. shkwon@knu.ac.kr

Abstract

PURPOSE
Bacterial meningitis in neonates and young infants is one of the most serious conditions that can lead to severe neurological sequelae despite the appropriate treatment. This study aimed at evaluating the clinical manifestations and treatment outcomes in patients under the age of three months, who had been diagnosed with bacterial meningitis.
METHODS
A total of twelve patients with bacterial meningitis under the age of three months from January 1997 to June 2010 were retrospectively evaluated through a review of their medical records. Patients who showed positive culture results were included in the study.
RESULTS
A total of 12 patients (6 males and 6 females, mean age 44.2+/-30.0 days) were enrolled in the study. All patients had fever upon admission. But most of them were unremarkable upon physical examination (75%). Streptococcus agalactiae was the most common organism cultured from CSF (7cases; 58.3%). Six cases showed positive results on CSF culture as well as on blood culture. Cefotaxime and ampicilin/sulbactam or cefotaxime and ampicilin were given as initial treatment with a mean treatment duration of 15.1+/-6.0 days. Neurological complications and sequelae included subdural effusion and hearing disturbance in two cases (16.7%). Nine cases (75%) showed excellent outcomes without neurological deficits, and none were left with a severe degree of sequelae.
CONCLUSION
The study showed that neonates or young infants with bacterial meningitis almost always present with fever and that S. agalactiae was the most common causative organism. In addition, the final outcome for these patients may be improved with early and appropriate treatment.

Keyword

Meningitis, Bacterial; Streptococcus agalactiae; Infant, Newborn

MeSH Terms

Cefotaxime
Female
Fever
Hearing
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Male
Medical Records
Meningitis, Bacterial
Physical Examination
Retrospective Studies
Streptococcus agalactiae
Subdural Effusion
Treatment Outcome
Cefotaxime
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