Neonatal meningitis and mastoiditis caused by Hemophilus influenzae.

A newborn infant developed Hemophilus influenzae meningitis associated with acute coalescent mastoiditis and a cutaneous abscess in the mastoid region. Mastoidectomy was followed by prompt recovery from the meningitis, which had failed to clear previously despite antibiotic therapy. Mastoiditis may exist as an infective focus in neonatal meningitis more frequently than has been appreciated. Mastoid roentgenograms are usually the only clue to diagnosis of this infection and should be obtained in patients with neonatal meningitis responding poorly to antibiotic therapy.