Bacteremia, meningitis, and brain abscesses in a hospitalized infant: complications of Pseudomonas aeruginosa conjunctivitis

Abstract

This report describes a preterm infant hospitalized in a neonatal intensive care unit who developed Pseudomonas aeruginosa conjunctivitis associated with bacteremia, meningitis, and multiple brain abscesses. P. aeruginosa conjunctivitis can rapidly progress to an invasive eye infection, such as corneal ulceration or endophthalmitis, leading to poor vision or blindness. Progression of this infection may lead to systemic disease. However, as illustrated in this report, P. aeruginosa conjunctivitis may be associated with the development of systemic complications such as bacteremia and meningitis in the absence of invasive eye disease. P. aeruginosa is a relatively common cause of conjunctivitis in hospitalized preterm and low birth weight infants. Given the severity of the ocular and systemic complications of Pseudomonas conjunctivitis, clinicians are reminded that prompt detection and treatment of neonatal conjunctivitis is critical.