Bacterial Meningitis in Neonates: A Multicenter Descriptive Study in the City of Medellin, Colombia

Abstract

Introduction: Bacterial meningitis is a severe infection requiring early empirical therapeutic intervention. In Colombia, there is limited information regarding this disease in the neonatal stage, necessitating up-to-date data to guide timely antibiotic therapy. Objective: To describe the clinical, microbiological, and epidemiological characteristics of neonatal bacterial meningitis in three hospital centers in the city of Medellín during the years 2010 to 2019. Methods: A descriptive study was conducted using electronic medical records of newborns treated in three hospitals in Medellín from 2010 to 2019. Clinical records with a discharge diagnosis of bacterial meningitis and corresponding microbiological isolation were reviewed. Data were extracted from SAP® and Servinte Clinical Suite Enterprise® and recorded in a Google® spreadsheet. Results: A total of 125 records with a diagnosis of neonatal meningitis were reviewed, with only 42 cases meeting microbiological isolation criteria. The mean gestational age was 35 weeks, and the most frequently isolated pathogens were Escherichia coli (40.5%) and Streptococcus agalactiae (40.5%). In 71.4% of cases, the meningitis was classified as late-onset according to age. Primary symptoms included irritability (56.1%) and fever (48.8%). Conclusions: The most common causative agents identified in this population were S. agalactiae and E. coli. Principal symptoms were irritability and fever. A significant proportion of neonates did not present suggestive symptoms of central nervous system infection. Additionally, prematurity was predominant in the studied population.