Meningitis due to two serotypes of Escherichia coli. An infant who recovered
R. I. Goldenberg and E. Neter
A newborn infant with hyaline membrane disease and aspiration pneumonia
developed purulent meningitis on day 19, three days after discontinuation
of ampicillin sodium and gentamicin sulfate therapy. Therapy with
gentamicin, both systemically and intrathecally, for two weeks was
ineffective. During this time each of four specimens of cerebrospinal fluid
contained two serotypes of Escherichia coli, namely, O83:H4 and O75:H5. The
antibiograms of the two strains were identical, both being susceptible to
gentamicin and ampicillin. Treatment with ampicillin resulted in prompt
disappearance of the infecting microorganisms and recovery from the
infection. One of the strains (O75:H5) produced an antigen cross-reacting
with the capsular antigen of Haemophilus influenzae type B; the other did
not. The patient developed O antibodies in substantial titers against E
coli O83 but not against E coli O75.