Streptococcus pneumoniae invasive disease in the neonatal period: an increasing problem?

A series of 11 cases of invasive infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae, occurring over an 11-year period, is reported. Eight of the 11 cases occurred during the final 2 years of the study suggesting that the incidence of infection may be increasing. Infection carries a high mortality (3/11). Morbidity includes meningitis, convulsions and respiratory failure. In one case S. pneumoniae meningitis occurred in both mother and newborn. Most mothers who carried the organism were asymptomatic at the time of delivery.

S. pneumoniae should be specifically sought in swabs taken from the pregnant mother and newborn and if isolated, even in the absence of symptoms, antibiotic therapy against the organism should be strongly considered.