What's the Diagnosis? By Dr. Lauren Murphy
Wed, 08/16/2017 - 7:34am
A 14 week old male presents to the ED with lethargy and fever. He appears ill and has a full fontanelle. A CT is obtained. What's the diagnosis?
Answer: Meningitis with a bulging fontanelle
- Lumbar puncture should be obtained immediately as long as there are no signs of impending herniation on CT
- Most common organisms in this infant over 3 months are streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitides and Group B streptococcus
- Treatment in this age group includes vancomycin and ceftriazone or cefotaxime
- Complications of meningitis include abscess formation, hydrocephalus, thrombosis, infarct and cerebritis