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Youngest Survivor of Naegleria Meningitis

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Abstract

Primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAME) is a rare condition, usually caused by free living motile amebae. These are universally fatal infections with very few survivors reported till now. The authors report a 25-d-old boy, the youngest survivor of Naegleria meningitis. The child was admitted with a diagnosis of partially treated meningitis. Cerebro-spinal fluid wet mount examination revealed free living motile amebae resembling Naegleria, which was further confirmed by culture. He was treated with amphoterecin B, rifampicin and fluconazole for 4 wk and ventriculoperitoneal shunt for obstructive hydrocephalous. At 8 mo follow up, child has survived with neurological sequlae.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Lady Hardinge Medical College and associated Kalawati Saran Children’s Hospital, New Delhi, 110001, India

    Dinesh Yadav, Satinder Aneja, Anu Maheshwari & Anju Seth

  2. Department of Microbiology, Lady Hardinge Medical College and associated Kalawati Saran Children’s Hospital, New Delhi, India

    Renu Dutta

Authors
  1. Dinesh Yadav
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  2. Satinder Aneja
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  3. Renu Dutta
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  4. Anu Maheshwari
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  5. Anju Seth
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Correspondence to Anu Maheshwari.

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Yadav, D., Aneja, S., Dutta, R. et al. Youngest Survivor of Naegleria Meningitis. Indian J Pediatr 80, 253–254 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-012-0756-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-012-0756-2

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