Bacterial and Fungal Intracranial Infections

Neonatal bacterial meningitis is the most common central nervous system infection and remains a life-threatening condition with a high risk of mortality and developmental disabilities. The infection can have an early onset or a late onset, with group B Streptococcus being the most prominent organism to cause early-onset infection. Group B Streptococcus and Escherichia coli remain the two most common organisms in full-term infants. Several gram-negative organisms, such as Citrobacter and Serratia, are more often associated with abscess development. Neonatal tetanus and systemic candidiasis will also be discussed in this chapter, which summarizes the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, neuroimaging findings, treatment options, and prevention.