Purulent Meningitis in the Neonatal Period

Abstract

47 infants were reviewed. The clinical picture was diverse and non-specific with convulsions and bulging fontanelle as late manifestations. In the first 2 weeks of life the enteric organisms cause the great majority of cases. Almost all the Gram-positive cocci occurred in the second 2-week period. The antibody levels of the newborn infant may contribute to this pattern. Escherichia coli was the most common causative organism followed by the paracolon group, Proteus, Pseudomonas and the Gram-positive cocci. There was an overall mortality rate of 60% with a lower rate of 41% in the group treated with steroids.