Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis in two patients with peritoneovenous shunts.

We report two patients with cirrhosis and peritoneovenous shunts (LeVeen) in whom fatal Streptococcus pneumoniae sepsis and meningitis developed 10 months and 22 days, respectively, after insertion of the shunts. The association between pneumococcal bacteremia and meningitis is well established. The potential implications of a LeVeen shunt in increasing risk for meningitis are discussed.