[Meningitis caused by streptococci other than S. pneumoniae: clinical and microbiological features of 13 cases].

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVE

Meningitis caused by streptococci other than S. pneumoniae are uncommon. We present our experience.

PATIENTS AND METHOD: We reviewed the clinical, microbiological, and epidemiological features of all patients with meningitis due to streptococci other than S. pneumoniae diagnosed in the Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron during the period 1991-2001.

RESULTS

Main causative agents in 13 studied patients were viridans group streptococci (6 cases) and S. agalactiae (5 cases). There were no differences in the clinical presentation between different streptococci. Bacteremia was common in meningitis due to S. agalactiae (80%). Only one patient died.

CONCLUSIONS

Meningitis caused by streptococci other than S. pneumoniae are often related to a distant focus of infection or to neurosurgical procedures and, in our experience, they seem to have a good outcome.