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Patient with Suspected Meningitis Age > 56 days — Common Organisms — Clinical Pathway: Emergency, Inpatient

Suspected Meningitis Age > 56 days Clinical Pathway — Emergency Department, Inpatient and ICU

Common Organisms in Meningoencephalitis

Age Typical Bacteria Other Pathogens
2 mo - 23 mo
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus)
  • Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus)
  • Haemophilus influenzae
  • Escherichia coli
  • Streptococcus agalactiae (group B Streptococcus)
  • Herpes simplex virus (HSV)
  • Enterovirus
  • Parechovirus
2 yo - 11 yo
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae
  • Neisseria meningitidis
  • Enterovirus
> 12 yo
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae
  • Neisseria meningitidis
  • Enterovirus

 

Risk Factor Typical Bacteria Other Pathogens
Unimmunized
  • Haemophilus influenza type B
  • Neisseria meningitides (adolescents)
 
Immunocompromised population
  • Listeria monocytogenes
  • Streptococcus agalactiae (group B Streptococcus)
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis
  • Cryptococcus
  • Toxoplasmosis
  • Enterovirus (in patients with agammaglobulinemia)
Tick exposure  
  • Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease)
  • Rickettsia rickettsii (Rocky Mountain spotted fever)
  • Ehrlichia chaffeensis (ehrlichiosis)
  • Anaplasma phagocytophilum (anaplasmosis)
Travel  
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis
  • Histoplasma (Mississippi and Ohio River Valleys)
  • Coccidioides (Southwestern US)

 

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