[Neonatal meningoventriculitis]

Abstract

Clinical and autopsy data indicate that ventriculitis persists despite parenteral and intralumbar antibiotic therapy. In the present study, ventriculitis was documented as postmortem examination in nine newborns. These studies indicate that ventriculitis occurs commonly in neonates with meningitis, particularly when there is delayed sterilization of CSF culture, A clinician has to bear in mind the diagnosis of ventriculitis when: 1) There is poor clinical and/or laboratory response to the usual therapy. 2) He has a critically ill patient with lethargy, convulsions and bulging fontanels. 3) He culture an unusual organism. 4) He faces a suspected complication of meningitis: subdural effusion, ventriculitis or abscess. 5) A CSF from ventricular puncture with more than 150 WBC, glucose less than 50 mg. and protein more than 200 mg.