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Updated: Jun 19, 2025
A Neonatal Imaging Model of Gram-Negative Bacterial Sepsis
Published on: August 12, 2020
Epidemiology and outcomes of bacterial meningitis in the neonatal intensive care unit
Samia Aleem1, Daniel K Benjamin2,3, Charles M Burns4
1Department of Pediatrics, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
Objective:
Examine pathogen distribution, antibiotic resistance patterns, and hospital outcomes of infants with bacterial meningitis in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in the US from 2013-2018.
Study Design:
Infants were divided into 2 groups based on age at the time of meningitis: early-onset (0-3 days) and late-onset (>3 days). We compared demographics, clinical characteristics, epidemiology, hospital outcomes, distribution of organisms and resistance, and blood culture timing relative to cerebrospinal fluid culture.
Results:
From 345 NICUs, 659 infants were diagnosed with bacterial meningitis. The cumulative incidence was 1.1-1.3 cases/1000 NICU discharges. Median gestational age was 33 weeks, median birth weight was 1910 grams, 12% failed hearing screening, and 9% died prior to discharge. Of 141 cases of E. coli meningitis, 53% were resistant to ampicillin.
Conclusions:
Significant morbidities occur in infants with culture-proven meningitis in NICUs. Culture and subsequent discernment of sensitivity are crucial to guide definitive therapy.
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