Prospective surveillance of neonatal meningitis.

Prospective surveillance of neonatal meningitis EDITOR,-We read the paper by Hristeva et al on neonatal meningitis with interest.'Their study included only those infants on a neo- natal unit.A previous study has shown that 45% of neonatal meningitis is seen in infants admitted from home2 and this population would not be represented in the study of Hristeva et al.Their incidence of bacterial meningitis at 0 25/1000 live births could therefore be an underestimate.A review of neonatal meningitis in Liverpool between 1984 and 1988 revealed 34 cases: 20 treated in neonatal units and 14 in the wards of the local children's hospitals.The incidence of bacterial meningitis in infants born to mothers resident in Liverpool and South Sefton health districts was 0-33/1000 live births (that is 16 out of 48 369 deliveries; HM Thomas, unpublished data).This is similar to the figure of de Louvois and Harvey of 0-32/1000.2Dr Hristeva et al state