[Escherichia coli meningitis and parietal osteomyelitis in an infant: a rare complication of cephalohematoma]

Abstract

We report the case of a 30-day-old infant presenting a E. coli meningitis with recurrence 5 days after stopping antibiotics. The clinical investigations concluded to the diagnosis of osteomyelitis of the parietal bone probably as a consequence of the infection of a cephalohematoma due to a wound caused by a foetal monitoring. Cephalohematoma is frequent in infant and is usually without consequences. Though rare, cases of infected cephalohematomas are described in the literature, with possible complications of meningitis (E. coli) and osteomyelitis. Sometimes the both pathologies are associated. A secondary infection of cephalohematomas must be taken in consideration when the etiology of a E. coli meningitis is not quite clear enough. In this situation, looking for an osteomyelitis whose presence may influence the infant's treatment is needed.