Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Pasteurella multocida meningitis in infancy - (a lick may be as bad as a bite).
- Journal:
- European journal of pediatrics
- Year:
- 1999
- Authors:
- Wade, T et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Paediatrics · United Kingdom
Plain-English summary
A 7-week-old baby developed meningitis, which is an infection of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, after coming into contact with the saliva of a household pet, without any bites or scratches. This type of infection is usually caused by a bacteria called Pasteurella multocida, which is more commonly linked to infections from animal bites. Initially, the doctors thought the baby had a different type of infection caused by a common bacteria, which is important to note since there is a vaccine for that. To help prevent this kind of infection, it's crucial to keep young infants away from pet saliva and practice good hand hygiene. The case highlights that while Pasteurella multocida meningitis is rare, it can be serious and is preventable.
Abstract
UNLABELLED: Pasteurella multocida is the commonest cause of local infection after an animal bite, but is an unusual cause of meningitis. We report a case of P. multocida meningitis occurring in a 7-week-old infant which was contracted after non-traumatic contact with a household pet, that is, without any animal bite or scratch. The organism may be easily confused with more common Gram-negative pathogens. In this case, it was initially incorrectly diagnosed as Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib); a possibility which has important implications in the era of routine use of Hib vaccine in infant immunisation programs. CONCLUSION: Pasteurella multocida is an unusual, but serious cause of meningitis in infancy. It is potentially preventable by the avoidance of contact between young infants and the saliva of household pets, in particular by assiduous hand hygiene.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10541939/