Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Meningitis due to group C Streptococcus: a case report and review of the literature.
- Journal:
- Scandinavian journal of infectious diseases
- Year:
- 2010
- Authors:
- Rajasekhar, Anita & Clancy, Cornelius J
- Affiliation:
- Department of Medicine · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
This report discusses a case of meningitis, which is an infection of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, caused by a type of bacteria called group C Streptococcus. The patient was a horse trainer who developed this condition, which is rare in humans but can occur, especially in older individuals or those who have contact with animals. In a review of 36 similar cases, many patients had been healthy before getting sick, and a significant number had been exposed to horses or dairy products. Treatment typically involved antibiotics, which took at least four days to start showing improvement, but unfortunately, the overall outcomes were not very good, with a notable number of patients experiencing lasting neurological issues.
Abstract
Group C streptococci (GCS) are common causes of veterinary diseases and may colonize humans. Human diseases due to GCS are uncommon and generally occur in the elderly and persons exposed to animals or animal products. We report a case of Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus meningitis in a horse trainer and review 36 cases of GCS meningitis reported in the literature. The median age was 48 y and the majority of patients were previously healthy. Thirty-one percent (11/36) of the reported cases followed equine exposure and 19% (7/36) ingestion of dairy products. Sixty-seven percent (24/36) were found to have concomitant bacteraemia. The case fatality rate was 31% (11/36), and 28% (7/25) of survivors were reported to have residual neurological impairments. At least 4 days of antibiotics were typically required before symptoms improved. Isolates were generally susceptible to beta-lactams. In conclusion, it is important to consider GCS in the differential of bacterial meningitis, in particular in elderly patients exposed to horses or dairy products. Beta-lactams are first-line therapy, but outcomes are poor.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20632899/