title: [Clinical features of childhood purulent meningitis caused by Escherichia coli and Streptococcus pneumoniae: a comparative analysis].
abstract: To investigate the differences in clinical features of childhood purulent meningitis (PM) caused by Escherichia coli and Streptococcus pneumoniae, and to provide help for the selection of antibiotics for PM children with unknown etiology.
  
  
  
  A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of children with PM caused by Escherichia coli (12 children) or Streptococcus pneumoniae (15 children).
  
  
  
  Compared with the Streptococcus pneumoniae infection group, the Escherichia coli infection group had a significantly higher proportion of children with an age of onset of <3 months and a significantly higher incidence rate of convulsion, but significantly lower incidence rates of severe fever (>39°C) and disturbance of consciousness and a significantly lower proportion of children with an increased leukocyte count at diagnosis (>12×10(9)/L). The results of routine cerebrospinal fluid test and biochemical examinations showed no significant differences between the two groups. Escherichia coli and Streptococcus pneumoniae were resistant to cephalosporins and had a sensitivity to chloramphenicol more than 90%. Escherichia coli was fully sensitive to meropenem and Streptococcus pneumoniae was fully sensitive to vancomycin.
  
  
  
  PM caused by Escherichia coli and Streptococcus pneumoniae has different clinical features. As for PM children with severe fever, disturbance of consciousness, and an increased leukocyte count, the probability of Streptococcus pneumoniae infection should be considered. For PM children with an age of onset of <3 months, medium- and low-grade fever, frequent convulsions, and a leukocyte count of <12×10(9)/L, the probability of Escherichia coli infection should be considered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University/Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders/China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders/Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing 400016, China. dr_jiangli@126.com.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Jian-Nan
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Xiao-Jie
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D020814:Meningitis, Escherichia coli / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013492:Suppuration