[Bacterial meningitis in infants 1 to 8 weeks old]

Bacterial meningitis in the newborn and infant remains a serious problem, with a mortality rate of 24% and a morbidity rate ranging from 30 to 50%. This retrospective study conducted between January 1982 and December 1997, aims to characterize the epidemiology of bacterial meningitis in infants less than 60 days of age. Thirty-five infants between 6 and 60 days of age, hospitalized for bacterial meningitis in the pediatric units of Edouard-Herriot Hospital in Lyon, France, were included. The clinical presentation was not specific for most cases, hyperthermia being the most common symptom (97%). Neurological symptoms such as bulging fontanelle or nuchal rigidity were present in 30% and 8% of the cases, respectively. The four predominant meningeal pathogens were: group B streptococcus (36%), Escherichia coli (28%), meningogoccus (8.6%) and Staphylococcus aureus (8.6%). This study emphasizes the importance of prompt diagnosis, including CSF evaluation, and antimicrobial therapy in infants less than 2 months of age presenting an isolated fever.