title: The changing spectrum of neonatal meningitis over a fifteen-year period.
abstract: One hundred seventy-seven cases of neonatal meningitis treated at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston over a 15-year period (1974-1988) were reviewed. Over this period, the incidence of bacterial meningitis decreased, the incidence of aseptic meningitis remained stable, and the diagnosis of enteroviral meningitis increased in frequency. During 1984-1988, enterovirus was the most common cause of meningitis in neonates older than seven days and accounted for one third of all cases of neonatal meningitis. Half of all neonates with bacterial meningitis had negative blood cultures. We recommend that 1) diagnostic lumbar puncture remain part of the routine assessment of the neonate with suspected sepsis, and 2) CSF be cultured for enterovirus as well as for bacteria when a neonate older than seven days presents with suspected sepsis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77550.
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Shattuck
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chonmaitree
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D004769:Enterovirus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000453:epidemiology; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008581:Meningitis / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008582:Meningitis, Aseptic / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000453:epidemiology; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000453:epidemiology; D008584:Meningitis, Listeria / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000453:epidemiology; D008587:Meningitis, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000453:epidemiology; D009725:Nurseries, Hospital; D010351:Patient Discharge; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013129:Spinal Puncture / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000453:epidemiology; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae; D015996:Survival Rate; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors