Significance of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in CSF of bacteremic children

A retrospective study was performed of 32 bacteremic children not receiving preadmission antibiotic therapy who had a diagnostic lumbar puncture for analysis of cerebrospinal fluid at the time of initial evaluation for an acute illness. In each instance, the CSF contained polymorphonuclear leukocytes without pleocytosis. Of these 32 bacteremic patients, 88% had a CSF differential cell count with 20% or fewer polymorphonuclear cells, and greater than 90% had glucose and protein concentration within the range of normal limits. All patients had a Gram-stained smear of CSF which revealed no organisms. In no instance was a CSF culture positive for a bacterial pathogen. In the bacteremic child not pretreated with antibiotics, cerebrospinal fluid which contains total white blood cell, glucose, and protein concentrations within limits of normal, a differential cell count with 20% or fewer polymorphonuclear leukocytes, and Gram-stained smear which reveals no organisms is not indicative of risk for bacterial meningitis.