Neonatal bacterial meningitis is the disease which clinical manifestations are nonspecific and several neurologic complications may occur. We studied neonatal bacterial meningitis, particularly in treatment and prognosis according to causative organisms -gram positive and gram negative bacteria- to assist in treatment of neonatal bacterial meningitis.

We analysed twenty-four cases retrospectively who had been admitted in NICU or pediatric ward in Chung-ang Gil hospital from Jan. 1991 to Jun. 1996, and who had proven causative organisms in culture or latex agglutination[n test in CSF.

1) The ratio of male to female was 2.4: 1. The mean birth weight and gestational age in cases with gram positive bacterial meningitis were 2.91±0.79kg and 38.4±2.74 weeks and those in cases with yam negative bacterial meningitis were 3.30±0.90kg and 37.7±3.33weeks respectively. There was no significant difference between the two groups. 2) The perinatal predisposing factors were pematurity, mecoinium staining amnionic fluid, matemal diabetes and pregnancy-induced hypertension, etc. The clinical manifestations Were fever, seizure, poor oral intake and fontanel bulging, etc. There were eleven cases with early onset bacterial meningitis(four cases by gram positive bacteria, seven cases by gram negative bacteria), and thirteen cases with late onset bacterial meningitis(seven cases by gram positive bacteria, six cases by gram negative bacteria). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of onset. 3) There were eleven cases with yam positive bacterial meningitis and they were coagulase-negative staphylococci(three cases), group B streptococci(three cases), Staphylococcus aureus(two cases), Streptococcus viridans(two cases), and enterococci(one case). And there were thirteen cases with gram negative bacterial menir gitis and they were Escherichia coli(seven cases), Klevsiella pneumoniae(three cases), Pseudomonas aeruginosa(one case), Acinetobactor(one case) and Enterobacter(one case). 4) The initial CSF WBC counts in cases with yam negative bacterial meningitis were significantly higher than those in cases with gram positive bacterial meningitis but the CSF protein and glucose levels were no significant difference in the two groups statistically. 5) The number of cases with abnormal findings in brain ultrasonography was seven in gram positive bacterial meningitis and ten in gram negative bacterial meningitis. 6) There were relatively high sensitivity to penicillin derivatives, the first generation cephalosporin and vancomycin in gram positive bacteria and to the third generation cephalosporin and amikacin in gram negative bacteria. 7) The mortality rate was 20.8%(5 cases were expired or discharged hopelessly). There was no significant difference between the two groups in prognosis.

We recommend active treatment in noenatal bacterial meningitis to improve prognosis because the prognosis is poor.