title: Unrecognised ventriculitis/meningitis presenting as hydrocephalus in infancy.
abstract: Infantile hydrocephalus due to unrecognized neonatal-onset meningitis/ventriculitis, was studied retrospectively using 1991-1998 chart review. Seventy two patients with hydrocephalus were reviewed. Thirteen infants had hydrocephalus associated with active meningitis/ventriculitis which had remained unrecognized. Active meningitis/ventriculitis was confirmed by the finding of an abnormal lumbar and ventricular CSF with or without positive culture. All had perinatal risk factors and 10/13 had been given antibiotics in the postnatal period. 6/13 infants appeared to be well. The most common presentation was increasing head size. All lumbar and ventricular CSFs were abnormal and 10/13 had positive cultures as well. Imaging revealed hydrocephalus in all. The infants were treated with antibiotics for a mean of 32.8 days before VP shunting. 7/11 were severely disabled. Unrecognized active meningitis/ventriculitis is an important cause of infantile hydrocephalus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, P.D. Hinduja Hospital and Medical Research Center, Veer Savarkar Marg, Mumbai 400 016, India. dr_sudani@hindujahospital.com
authors.forename: Vrajesh
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Udani
authors.forename: Soonu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Udani
authors.forename: Rohan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Merani
authors.forename: Manisha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bavdekar
mesh_terms: D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000473:pathology*; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000209:etiology*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008581:Meningitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014390:Tuberculosis, Meningeal / Q000175:diagnosis