Bacterial meningitis in infants two to six weeks old.
We reviewed our experience with bacterial meningitis in older neonates (2 to 6 weeks of age) during a five-year period. Seventeen patients with bacterial meningitis were diagnosed and treated. Bacteria recovered from the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) included pneumococci (29%), E. coli and meningococci (23% each), group B streptococci (12%), Enterobacter and H. influenzae (6% each). There were no cases of Listeria monocytogenes. The mean duration of symptoms before admission was 3.1 days. The mortality rate was high (30%), and 36% of the patients had significant neurologic residua. Our study shows that this specific age group is different from newborns or older infants. Therefore, the initial selection of antibiotics for the treatment of meningitis in this age group should include antibiotics that are effective across this spectrum of potential pathogens.
D000367:Age Factors; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004754:Enterobacter; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D006192:Haemophilus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008581:Meningitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000453:epidemiology; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000453:epidemiology; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents