Detrimental Neurological Outcome caused by Bacillus cereus Meningoencephalitis in an Extremely Low Birth Weight Infant.

Cho,  Hyun Ju; Bae,  Mi Hyun; Lee,  Byong Sop; Kim,  Ki Soo; Kim,  Mi Na; Kim,  Ellen Ai Rhan

doi:2014.21.3.204

Neonatal Med > Volume 21(3); 2014 > Article

Case Report

Neonatal Medicine 2014;21(3):204-209.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5385/nm.2014.21.3.204 Published online August 30, 2014.

Detrimental Neurological Outcome caused by Bacillus cereus Meningoencephalitis in an Extremely Low Birth Weight Infant.

Hyun Ju Cho, Mi Hyun Bae, Byong Sop Lee, Ki Soo Kim, Mi Na Kim, Ellen Ai Rhan Kim

¹Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Asan Medical Center Children's Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. arkim@amc.seoul.kr
²Department of Laboratory Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

Advances in neonatal intensive care have improved the chances for survival of extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants. However, ELBW infants are at high risk of meningitis and resulting neurologic complications. The most common organisms associated with neonatal bacterial meningitis include Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, and Group B Streptococcus. Bacillus cereus (B. cereus), an organism commonly found in soil, vegetation, and daily products, can sometimes cause meningitis owing to preformed toxins. We report a rare case of meningoencephalitis caused by B. cereus that resulted in a detrimental neurological outcome in an ELBW infant.

Key Words: Infant; Extremely low birth weight; Bacillus cereus; Meningoencephalitis