CASE REPORTS   

Minerva Pediatrica 2011 April;63(2):119-24

Copyright © 2011 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Recurrent pneumococcal meningitis in a child with transethmoidal encephalocele: a case report and review of literature

Cantatore S., Crisafi A., Guaraldi N., Pancaldi M. E., Iughetti L. ✉

Pediatrics Clinic, Department of Paediatrics, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy;

Bacterial meningitis is a life-threatening infection with a low recurrence rate. However, this possibility has always to be considered and avoided. This case report concerns a 5-year-old girl who was admitted in our Emergency Pediatric Unit for symptoms of bacterial meningitis and signs of disseminated intra-vascular coagulopathy. After a successful treatment the girl was discharged in good health. She was admitted to our hospital after one year with the same symptoms of meningitis. Laboratory examinations confirm the admittance suspect. An accurate research allowed to find out immunological deficiencies and showed an occult malformation, transethmoidal encephalocele, responsible for the recurrent meningitis. The present case suggests that the opportunity to perform an accurate cerebral imaging study (with special attention to the ethmoidal region and inner ear) in all cases of meningitis to detect occult anatomical alterations, thus preventing infectious recurrence, should always be taken into account.