title: Meningitis caused by streptococci other than Streptococcus pneumoniae: a retrospective clinical study.
abstract: We reviewed the medical records of 26 patients (median age 62 years, range 5-76 years) admitted to our institution during 1978-98 with acute bacterial meningitis (ABM) caused by streptococci other than Streptococcus pneumoniae (comprising 1.9% of all patients with ABM). 19 cases were community-acquired and 7 were nosocomial. 73% had comorbid or predisposing conditions and 73% had an identifiable extracerebral focus; only in 2 patients no comorbid disease, primary focus or predisposing condition was present. Five patients had cerebral abscesses, and 5 had endocarditis. Beta-haemolytic streptococci were grown in 14 cases (serotype A: 4, B: 5, C: 1, G: 4) and were predominant among patients with endocarditis, whereas alpha- or non-haemolytic strains grew in 12 cases (S. mitis: 4, S. constellatus: 2, E. faecalis: 2, S. bovis: 1, unspecified: 3) and were predominant in patients with a brain abscess. Staphylococcus aureus grew together with a streptococcus in 2 cases. Blood culture was positive in 9 cases (35%). Neurologic complications occurred in 11 patients (42%) and extraneurologic complications in 18 patients (69%). Adverse outcomes occurred in 10 patients (38%), including 3 patients who died. Occurrence of seizures at any time of disease was significantly associated with an adverse outcome; no other clinical or paraclinical features appeared to affect outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Møller
authors.forename: E H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Frederiksen
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wandall
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Skinhøj
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000145:classification*; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents