Neonatal salmonella meningitis: two case reports

Two cases of neonatal Salmonella meningitis are reported. Both infants were seriously ill: one died 6 days after admittance to the hospital; the other required artificial ventilation for 4 days and recovered without sequelae. In both cases close relatives had shown signs of gastrointestinal infection just prior to the reported cases. The symptoms, the outcome and antibiotic treatment are discussed. In view of the increasing incidence of salmonella infections in Denmark and the serious prognosis of neonatal meningitis, it is important to consider the diagnosis in all cases of bacterial meningitis in infancy.