A Pediatric Case of Fusobacterium necrophorum Mastoiditis and Meningitis Case Report in a Healthy Child and Review of the Literature

Abstract

In infants and children, bacterial meningitis caused by anaerobic bacteria is rare. However, a serious infection with the anaerobe Fusobacterium necrophorum can occur in previously healthy children with a peak incidence in preschool children and in adolescents. As the clinical presentation can be very similar to meningitis caused by aerobic bacteria, one should consider Fusobacterium necrophorum as the causative agent when preceded by or associated with otitis media with purulent otorrhea or mastoiditis, in combination with minimal or no improvement on empiric antibiotic treatment. As this pathogen can be difficult to culture, anaerobic cultures should be obtained. Prompt treatment with a third-generation cephalosporin and metronidazole should be initiated once suspected or confirmed. Surgical source control is often necessary, but even with adequate and prompt treatment, the morbidity and mortality in children with a Fusobacterium necrophorum meningitis remains high. In this report, we describe a case of Fusobacterium necrophorum meningitis in a previously healthy child and review the available literature.