TY - BOOK AU - Aujard,Yannick TI - Bacterial meningitis in newborns PY - 2025///. N1 - 51 N2 - Bacterial meningitis in newborns is usually secondary to a bacterial translocation from the digestive tract to the bloodstream. The risk of meningeal invasion depends on: 1) specific virulence genes; 2) the bacterial load in the bloodstream; and 3) the level of humoral and cellular immune defenses. The initial bacteremia may also invade brain tissue or the subdural space, causing abscesses and/or empyemas. Lumbar puncture is performed based on clinical and biological risk factors but is not routinely indicated. Empiric antibiotic therapy must be bactericidal. In France, a combination of amoxicillin, cefotaxime, and an aminoglycoside is the most commonly used treatment until the pathogen is identified. Ciprofloxacin, which targets Gram-negative bacteria, and rifampicin, used against GBS, are treatments for brain abscesses. They can be added to the initial antibiotic therapy based on brain MRI results obtained after 5 to 7 days of treatment. The prognosis of bacterial meningitis in newborns is severe, with a mortality rate of 10% and neurological sequelae occurring in 25 to 50% of cases UR - https://shs.cairn.info/journal-medecine-therapeutique-pediatrie-2024-2-page-107?lang=en&redirect-ssocas=7080 ER -