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Case Reports
. 2025 Jul 19;17(7):e88299.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.88299. eCollection 2025 Jul.

Beyond Type B: A Rare and Challenging Case of Neonatal Meningitis

Abdessamad Lalaoui  1   2 , Khalid Abi El Aala  1   2 , Ghizlane Kassal  1   2 , Fatiha Bennaoui  1   2 , Nadia El Idrissi Slitine  1   2 , Fadl Mrabih Rabou Maoulainine  1   2
Affiliations
Case Reports

Beyond Type B: A Rare and Challenging Case of Neonatal Meningitis

Abdessamad Lalaoui et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Haemophilus influenzae (Hi) meningitis is a rare but serious bacterial infection in newborns and infants. While type b (Hib) has historically been the most prevalent strain, non-b serotypes remain uncommon and are not well characterized, underscoring the need for accurate identification and serotyping to improve clinical understanding and management. These non-b variants have been increasingly associated with severe neurological complications and poor outcomes, highlighting the importance of early recognition and targeted therapeutic intervention. We report the case of a 23-day-old newborn diagnosed with Hi meningitis caused by a non-b serotype, illustrating the complexities of this rare presentation. This case emphasizes the clinical relevance of non-type b Hi meningitis and explores the diagnostic challenges, treatment considerations, and broader implications for neonatal infectious disease research.

Keywords: cerebrospinal fluid culture; meningitis; newborn; non-type b haemophilus influenza; transfontanelar ultrasound.

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Conflict of interest statement

Human subjects: Informed consent for treatment and open access publication was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Head ultrasound showing subdural effusion
(A, B) Coronal gray-scale head ultrasound images showing anechoic subdural fluid collections along the bilateral frontoparietal convexities, measuring 10 × 6 mm (blue arrows).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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