title: Paediatric epidemiology of Pasteurella multocida meningitis in France and review of the literature.
abstract: We report on six cases of Pasteurella multocida (P. multocida) meningitis occurring between 2001 and 2011 by a French nationwide active surveillance network of paediatric bacterial meningitis (ACTIV/GPIP). The cases accounted for 0.15 % of the paediatric meningitis cases reported between 2001 and 2011 in France, all in infants <4 months old. A review of the literature allowed us to gather information on 42 other cases of P. multocida meningitis in infants <1 year old reported since 1963. Among all 48 cases, 44 % were newborns. An animal source of the infection, including 39 household dogs and cats, was suspected or identified in 42 of 48 cases. A traumatic contact between the child and a pet occurred in 8 % of cases, and a vertical transmission from mother to child during birth in 10.4 %. Most of the time, the infection resulted from non-traumatic contact between the child and the pet, through licking or sniffing. The absence of host risk factors suggests that an immature immune system is responsible, given the young age of the children. Although complications, especially neurological lesions, were not rare (37.5 %), the long-term outcome was usually good. Four infants died of meningitis. This rare disease could be prevented by reducing contact between infants and household pets, and by performing simple hygiene measures before handling babies.
authors.affiliation: Service de Microbiologie, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, Paris, France.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Guet-Revillet
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Andriantahina
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kalach
authors.forename: M-H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Pierre
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elbez-Rubinstein
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boniface
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Berche
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferroni
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002415:Cats; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D010326:Pasteurella Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D016979:Pasteurella multocida / Q000187:drug effects; D057805:Pets / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
references.citation: Arch Pediatr. 2003 May;10(5):439-41
references.pmid: 12878338
references.citation: Scand J Infect Dis. 2002;34(3):213-7
references.pmid: 12030400
references.citation: Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2009 Oct;28(10):928-9
references.pmid: 19730153
references.citation: J Pediatr. 1978 May;92(5):853
references.pmid: 641644
references.citation: Clin Infect Dis. 2005 Oct 1;41(7):1059-63
references.pmid: 16142676
references.citation: Isr Med Assoc J. 2006 Sep;8(9):657-8
references.pmid: 17058424
references.citation: Pediatr Int. 1999 Jun;41(3):307-10
references.pmid: 10365584
references.citation: Med J Aust. 2005 Feb 7;182(3):137
references.pmid: 15698362
references.citation: Clin Pediatr (Phila). 1965 Nov;4(11):668-70
references.pmid: 5844432
references.citation: Clin Infect Dis. 1997 May;24(5):1004-6
references.pmid: 9142813
references.citation: Medicine (Baltimore). 1984 May;63(3):133-54
references.pmid: 6371440
references.citation: Presse Med. 1993 Jun 26;22(23):1105
references.pmid: 8415466
references.citation: J Vet Med Sci. 2012 Aug;74(8):1091-4
references.pmid: 22516694
references.citation: Arch Pediatr. 2001 Jun;8(6):670-1
references.pmid: 11446195
references.citation: Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2004 Nov;23(11):1063-5
references.pmid: 15545868
references.citation: Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1991 Nov;35(11):2419-22
references.pmid: 1804018
references.citation: East Afr Med J. 1975 Sep;52(9):529-31
references.pmid: 1192993
references.citation: Arch Fr Pediatr. 1981 Nov;38(9):695-6
references.pmid: 7332433
references.citation: J Pediatr. 1975 Jan;86(1):91-3
references.pmid: 1167380
references.citation: Postgrad Med J. 1963 Feb;39:98-100
references.pmid: 14000399
references.citation: Pediatr Infect Dis J. 1996 Sep;15(9):831-3
references.pmid: 8878231
references.citation: Am J Dis Child. 1986 May;140(5):444-6
references.pmid: 3962937
references.citation: Wien Klin Wochenschr. 2009;121(5-6):216-9
references.pmid: 19412752
references.citation: Cent Afr J Med. 1981 Feb;27(2):29-30
references.pmid: 7226221
references.citation: Pediatr Infect Dis. 1984 Nov-Dec;3(6):559-61
references.pmid: 6096834
references.citation: Clin Infect Dis. 2007 Sep 15;45(6):e80-1
references.pmid: 17712748
references.citation: N Engl J Med. 1999 Jan 14;340(2):85-92
references.pmid: 9887159
references.citation: Clin Microbiol Infect. 1999 Feb;5(2):101-102
references.pmid: 11856226
references.citation: Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2005 Apr;24(4):387
references.pmid: 15818307
references.citation: Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2012 May;31(5):536-7
references.pmid: 22198826
references.citation: J Clin Microbiol. 1992 Nov;30(11):2984-7
references.pmid: 1452670
references.citation: Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2001 Mar;20(3):210-3
references.pmid: 11347675
references.citation: J Fam Pract. 1982 Apr;14(4):778, 780-2
references.pmid: 7069395
references.citation: Pediatr Neurosci. 1985-1986;12(2):96-100
references.pmid: 3837882
references.citation: Infection. 1979;7(4):183-6
references.pmid: 389803
references.citation: Clin Infect Dis. 2004 Nov 1;39(9):1267-84
references.pmid: 15494903
references.citation: J Infect. 1995 Sep;31(2):161-2
references.pmid: 8666850
references.citation: Z Geburtshilfe Neonatol. 2006 Dec;210(6):219-21
references.pmid: 17206557
references.citation: N J Med. 1990 Feb;87(2):127-9
references.pmid: 2407975
references.citation: J Clin Microbiol. 2000 Mar;38(3):1235-7
references.pmid: 10699029
references.citation: West Indian Med J. 1976 Jun;25(2):87-91
references.pmid: 960694
references.citation: Pediatr Med Chir. 2011 Jul-Aug;33(4):199-202
references.pmid: 22423481
references.citation: Pediatr Infect Dis J. 1995 Apr;14(4):331-2
references.pmid: 7603823
references.citation: Zentralbl Bakteriol. 1993 Jun;279(1):131-9
references.pmid: 8369583
references.citation: Semin Pediatr Infect Dis. 2006 Oct;17(4):187, 225-7
references.pmid: 17055368
references.citation: Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 1989 Dec;47(4):468-70
references.pmid: 2634388
references.citation: Eur J Pediatr. 1999 Nov;158(11):875-8
references.pmid: 10541939
references.citation: Rocky Mt Med J. 1968 Nov;65(11):45-6
references.pmid: 5749275
references.citation: Scand J Infect Dis. 1993;25(5):655-8
references.pmid: 8284651
references.citation: Rev Infect Dis. 1990 May-Jun;12(3):440-8
references.pmid: 2193351
references.citation: Br Med J. 1977 Sep 17;2(6089):741-2
references.pmid: 912280