Tularemic Meningitis

Although evidence of meningeal irritation and involvement of the central nervous system is observed not infrequently in cases of tularemia which terminate fatally, instances in which invasion of the meninges by the infecting organism has been proved, either during life or at necropsy, are extremely rare. The case reported here represents an instance of tularemic meningitis occurring in a 5 year old child. While the patient was still living the infecting organism was isolated from the blood and spinal fluid. Necropsy confirmed the existence of a meningitis due to Bacterium tularense. The case is of interest also in that the mode of infection was unusual. The patient contracted tularemia from the bite of a cat. Because so few cases of tularemic meningitis are recorded in the literature, it is considered advisable to add this case. In addition to the present case, we shall give summaries of previously reported cases and