AGE GROUP BACTERIA COMMENT

Neonates to age 3 months Serogroup B Streptococci As many as 25% of

(S. agalactiae) mothers with vaginal
carriage of Group B Strep.
Ampicillin prophylaxis
during labor of high-risk
women or of known
carriers reduces the
incidence of infection in
babies.
Neonates Escherichia coli Commonly have the K1
antigen
Neonates; Elderly; Listeria monocytogenes Not usual in patients with
Immunocompromised CMI deficiency
children and adults
Children 6 months to 5 Haemophilus influenza Widespread use of vaccine
years has greatly reduced
incidence in children
Infants to 5 years and Neisseria meningitidis Polysaccharide conjugate
Young adults vaccines against
serogroups A, C, Y, and
W135 are used in
epidemic areas and in
association with outbreaks
All age groups; Highest Streptococcus pneumonia Often occurs with
incidence in the elderly pneumonia; also with
mastoiditis, sinusitis and
basilar skull fractures
COMMON CAUSES OF MENINGITIS
TYPE OF INFECTION EXAMPLE PATHOGENESIS CAUSATIVE
MICROORGANISMS
Acute Bacterial Brain abscess Hematogenous (lung, Peptostreptococci
(“suppurative”) (epidural, subdural) intestinal tract) Bacteroides spp.
Direct invasion Staphylococci
(trauma, ENT, Group A or D
sinuses, Neuro- streptococci
orthopedic surgery)
Meningitis: Hematogenous E. coli
Neonates and young Group B Strep.
infants Listeria mono.
Infants and young Hematogenous Strep. Pneumoniae
children (nasopharynx) Neisseria
Direct invasion (rare) meningitides
(Haemophilus
influenza- rare)
Adults Hematogenous Strep. Pneumoniae
Children (nasopharynx) Neisseria
Direct invasion (rare) meningitides
(Haemophilus
influenza- rare)
All ages Direct invasion (head Staphylococci
trauma, congenital, Group A strep.
neuromalformations, Strep. Pneumoniae
neurodiagnostic Pseudomonas
procedures, neuro- aeruginosa
orthopedic surgery) E. coli
Enterobacteriaceae
Granulomatous Tuberculous Hematogenous (lung) Mycobacterium TB
Meningitis Cryptococcal Cryptococcus
neoformans
Acute Viral Meningitis Hematogenous Enteroviruses
(“aseptic”) (intestinal tract, Mumps viruses
oropharynx) Arboviruses
Adenoviruses
Encephalitis Hematogenous Herpesvirus
(intestinal tract, Enterovirus
arthropod vectors, Mumps virus
respiratory tract) Arbovirus
Epstein-Barr virus