A case of Mycoplasma hominis meningo-encephalitis in a full-term infant: rapid recovery after start of treatment with ciprofloxacin.
The role of Mycoplasma hominisas a causative agent for neonatal sepsis and meningitis is still unclear. Meningitis secondary to M. hominisis well-described in the literature; however, M. hominiscan also be isolated from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) obtained from infants without signs of meningitis. We present a case of a full-term infant with meningo-encephalitis with seizures, epileptic activity on the EEG, inflammation of brain tissue on a CT scan, and cloudy CSF containing elevated cell counts, decreased glucose levels and elevated protein levels. M. hominiswas identified from the CSF by culture and by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as the only possible causative agent. Furthermore, while empiric antibiotic and antiviral treatment for neonatal sepsis had failed, the meningo-encephalitis promptly responded upon antibiotic treatment with ciprofloxacin (20 mg/kg per day i.v.), to which M. hominisis susceptible.


CONCLUSIONS
A meningo-encephalitis developed due to infection with M. hominisin a full-term infant, from which he recovered rapidly after start of treatment with ciprofloxacin.
Department of Virology, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Katja C
KC
Wolthers
Department of Paediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
René F
RF
Kornelisse
Department of Medical Microbiology, IJsselland Hospital, Capelle a/d IJssel, The Netherlands.
Gert J J M
GJJM
Platenkamp
Deapartment of Paediatrics, IJsselland Hospital, Capelle a/d IJssel, The Netherlands.
M Inge
MI
Schuurman-van der Lem
Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Cindy
C
van der Schee
Department of Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Nico G
NG
Hartwig
Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. K.Verduin@pamm.nl.|St. PAMM Laboratory for Medical Microbiology, Postbus 2, 5500 AA , Veldhoven, The Netherlands. K.Verduin@pamm.nl.
Cees M
CM
Verduin
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008590:Meningoencephalitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019535:Mycoplasma hominis
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D002939:Ciprofloxacin