Bacillus cereus meningitis complicating cerebrospinal fluid fistula repair and spinal drainage

Non-anthrax Bacillus species are rare, but serious causes of bacterial meningitis in those either immunocompromised or treated with CSF diversion. Although resistant to first-line antibiotics, they usually respond to chloramphenicol. We report a case of fulminant Bacillus cereus meningitis that complicated lumbar spinal drainage which proved resistant to all first-line antibiotics including chloramphenicol.