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A Murine Model of Group B Streptococcus Vaginal Colonization
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[A 6-week-old infant with failure to thrive: insidious presentation of group B streptococcal ventriculitis]

E Collet1, P Diebold, D Paccaud

  • 1Service de pédiatrie, hôpital du Chablais, 1860 Aigle, Suisse. Elsa.Collet@chuv.ch

Archives De Pediatrie : Organe Officiel De La Societe Francaise De Pediatrie
|February 27, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Failure to thrive in breastfed infants can be misdiagnosed. Group B streptococcal ventriculitis is a rare, insidious cause that requires prompt diagnosis via cerebrospinal fluid culture and imaging.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Neonatology

Background:

  • Failure to thrive (FTT) is common in breastfed infants, often attributed to insufficient milk supply.
  • Several differential diagnoses for FTT exist, necessitating thorough investigation beyond common causes.

Observation:

  • Progressive feeding difficulties and FTT can be the initial signs of group B streptococcal ventriculitis.
  • This rare condition may not present with typical sepsis or meningitis symptoms, often lacking fever and evolving insidiously.

Findings:

  • Diagnosis of group B streptococcal ventriculitis is frequently delayed until intracranial hypertension develops.
  • Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture and cerebral imaging are crucial for confirming the diagnosis.
  • Only 10 previous cases of this condition have been reported in the literature.

Implications:

  • Highlights the importance of considering rare infectious causes of FTT in infants.
  • Emphasizes the need for early diagnostic consideration of ventriculitis in infants with unexplained FTT and feeding issues.
  • Underscores the diagnostic utility of CSF analysis and neuroimaging in subtle pediatric infections.

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