A retrospective analysis of 112 cases of pediatric bacterial meningitis over a 3-year period was performed to determine the rate of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) lymphocytosis at initial evaluation. Of 14 neonates and 98 children older than 1 month of age not receiving preadmission antibiotic therapy, only one instance of CSF lymphocytosis occurred. This patient's CSF exhibited pleocytosis, hypoglycorrhachia, abnormally elevated protein content, and organisms visualized on gram stain smear. In children with bacterial meningitis not receiving antibiotic therapy at the time of evaluation, CSF differential cell count with relative lymphocytosis is rare.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Powers WJCerebrospinal fluid lymphocytosis in acute bacterial meningitis. Am J Med1985;79:216.
2.
Sarff LD, Platt LH, McCracken GHCerebrospinal fluid evaluation in neonates. Comparison of high-risk infants with and without meningitis. J Pediatr1976 ;88:473.
3.
Krieg AFCerebrospinal fluids and other body fluids. In: J.B. Henry, Ed. Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. Sixteenth Edition. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders. 1979 , 635-57.
4.
Swartz MN, Dodge PRBacterial meningitis—A review of selected aspects. I. General clinical features, special problems and unusual meningeal reactions mimicking bacterial meningitis. N Engl J Med1965;272:725.
5.
Schlech WF, Ward JI, Band JD, et al. Bacterial meningitis in the United States, 1978 through 1981: The National Bacterial Meningitis Surveillance Study. JAMA1985; 253:1749.
6.
Converse GM, Gwaltney JM, Strassburg DR, et al. Alteration of cerebrospinal fluid findings by partial treatment of bacterial meningitis. J Pediatr1973;83:220.
7.
Seeler RA, Metzger W., Mufson MADiplococcus pneumoniae infections in children with sickle cell anemia . Am J Dis Child1972;123:8.
8.
Kaplan SL, O'Brien Smith E., Willis C., et al. Association between preadmission oral antibiotic therapy and cerebrospinal fluid findings and sequelae caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b meningitis. Pediatr Infect Dis1986 ;5:626.
9.
Feigin RD, Shackelford PGValue of repeat lumbar puncture in the differential diagnosis of meningitis . N Engl J Med1973;289:571.
10.
Idriss ZH, Sinno AA, Kronfol NMTuberculous meningitis in childhood: 43 cases. Am J Dis Child1976;130:364.
11.
Roberts NJ, Douglas RGCryptococcal meningitis. Arch Neurol1978;35:179.
12.
Lavetter A. , Leedom JM, Mathies AW, et al. Meningitis due to Listeria monocytogenes . N Engl J Med1971 ;283:598.
