[Clinical observation of neonatal meningitis caused by flavobacterium meningosepticum]

From January 1981 to December 1988, we collected 11 cases of neonatal meningitis caused by Flavobacterium meningosepticum. The 6 male and 5 female newborns ranged from 3 days to 20 days old. Birth body weight varied from 1100 gm to 3600 gm. Seven cases were premature or small for date. Nosocomial infection was noted in 7 of these 11 cases. Clinically, lethargy and poor activity were the most common symptoms. Cyanosis, fever and convulsion were the next. There were 9 cases showing pleocytosis, increased protein and decreased glucose level in the cerebrospinal fluid examination. The organisms isolated in all 11 cases were susceptible to piperacillin, resistant to ampicillin, aminoglycosides and cephalosporin. Five patients were treated with antibiotics other than piperacillin for 5 to 18 days. Three patients died; hydrocephalus was the cause of death in 2 of them. Two patients were discharged against advice. Among the remaining 6 cases we gave piperacillin for 3 weeks, one case developed hydrocephalus but eventually succumbed to K. pneumoniae sepsis. Out of five surviving cases, 3 developed hydrocephalus (VP shunt performed in two). The other two patients were discharged without neurological deficit. In conclusion, neonatal Flavobacterium meningosepticum meningitis was more frequent in premature or small for date babies, and it usually appeared in nosocomial infection. The prognosis was poor and piperacillin was proved to be the drug of choice.