Clinically inapparent meningitis complicating periorbital cellulitis.
Two young children with periorbital (preseptal) cellulitis were found to have meningitis despite having no signs of meningeal irritation and normal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cell counts and chemistries. These cases are reported to remind physicians caring for acutely ill children that periorbital cellulitis can have life-threatening complications and that meningitis can occur in the absence of significant clinical signs and in the presence of an initially normal CSF.
Sankrithi
U M
UM
Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19129.
LiPuma
J J
JJ
D002481:Cellulitis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008583:Meningitis, Haemophilus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification