title: Gram-negative enteric bacillary meningitis: a twenty-one-year experience.
abstract: We reviewed our experience with gram-negative enteric bacillary meningitis in neonates and infants from 1969 through 1989. Ninety-eight patients were identified. Their ages were from 1 day to 2 years with a median of 10 days. In 25 patients (26%), predisposing factors were identified, the most common of which were neural tube defects and urinary tract anomalies. The causative agents were Escherichia coli (53%), Klebsiella-Enterobacter species (16%), Citrobacter diversus (9%), Salmonella species (9%), Proteus mirabilis (4%), Serratia marcescens (3%), Bacteroides fragilis (3%), and Aeromonas species (2%). At the time of diagnosis, Gram-stained smears of cerebrospinal fluid revealed gram-negative bacilli in 61% of patients. The causative organism was cultured from blood obtained from 55% of patients, and 21% had positive urine culture results. The cerebrospinal fluid leukocyte counts ranged from 0 to 80,600 cells/mm3, and the cerebrospinal fluid/serum glucose concentration ratio was less than 0.5 in 72% of patients. Antimicrobial regimens varied greatly. After initiation of antibiotic therapy, an average of 3 days was needed for eradication of bacteria from cerebrospinal fluid. The case-fatality rate was 17%, and 61% of survivors had long-term sequelae that included seizure disorders, hydrocephalus, physical disability, developmental delay, and hearing loss.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Unhanand
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Mustafa
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: McCracken
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Nelson
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000209:etiology; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000209:etiology; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000209:etiology; D010243:Paralysis / Q000209:etiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012640:Seizures / Q000209:etiology; D015996:Survival Rate; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents