Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Meningitis in newborns after pet exposure - what to know
By Kobayaa, Hazar et al.·Published in The Pediatric infectious disease journal·2009·Department of Pediatrics, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Pasteurella multocida meningitis in newborns after incidental animal exposure.
Plain-English summary
This study looked at two newborns who developed meningitis, which is an infection of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, caused by a bacteria called Pasteurella multocida after they had some incidental contact with pets at home. The researchers also reviewed 36 other similar cases from previous reports, finding that out of 38 infants with this type of meningitis, 18 were one month old or younger. Almost all of these very young infants had been around household dogs and/or cats, but most of the exposure was not direct or intentional. The findings suggest that even casual contact with pets can lead to serious infections in newborns.
Abstract
We present briefly 2 newborns with Pasteurella multocida meningitis following incidental household exposure to domestic pets and review 36 additional cases from the literature. Of 38 reported cases of P. multocida meningitis during infancy, 18 were less than or equal to 1 month of age. All but one of the infants less than 1 month of age had documented exposure to household dogs and/or cats, most only incidentally.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19730153/