Bacillus Cereus Meningoencephalitis in Preterm Infants: Neuroimaging Characteristics

Overview

Journal AJNR Am J Neuroradiol

Specialty Neurology

Date 2005 Sep 13

PMID 16155172

Citations 14

Authors

Maarten H Lequin

Jeroen R Vermeulen

Ruurd M van Elburg

Frederik Barkhof

Rene F Kornelisse

Renate Swarte

Paul P Govaert

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background And Purpose: Meningoencephalitis can severely damage the developing brain. Preterms are more prone for nosocomial infections with pathogens other than Group B streptococci and Escherichia coli. In this report we focus on the deleterious clinical course and imaging characteristics of proven Bacillus cereus meningoencephalitis.

Methods: We collected 3 cases of proven Bacillus cereus meningoencephalitis. In the medical records we focused on prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal risk factors. Imaging data of several brain ultrasounds, MR images, and diffusion-weighted images were reevaluated.

Results: The ultrasound and MR images show a typical pattern of mainly hemorrhagic and early cavitating, selective white matter destruction.

Conclusion: Knowledge of this paradigm of acquired brain injury may help to better understand the natural course of these severe neonatal infections.

Citing Articles

Diagnostic imaging of Bacillus cereus brain infection in newborns.

Feferman B, Fernandez V, Tavernier E, Fuseau J, Sembely-Taveau C, Boennec R Pediatr Radiol. 2025; .

PMID: 39841254 DOI: 10.1007/s00247-025-06169-7.

Central nervous system infection by Bacillus cereus: a case report and literature review.

Rollan-Martinez Herrera M, Gonzalez-Urdiales P, Zubizarreta-Zamalloa A, Rodriguez-Merino E, Martinez-Dubarbie F Rev Neurol. 2022; 75(8):239-245.

PMID: 36218254 PMC: 10280720. DOI: 10.33588/rn.7508.2021412.

meningoencephalitis in an immunocompetent patient.

Worapongsatitaya P, Pupaibool J IDCases. 2022; 29:e01577.

PMID: 35880229 PMC: 9307947. DOI: 10.1016/j.idcr.2022.e01577.

Prevalence of Bacillus cereus in dairy powders focusing on its toxigenic genes and antimicrobial resistance.

Ibrahim A, Hafiz N, Saad M Arch Microbiol. 2022; 204(6):339.

PMID: 35589862 PMC: 9120150. DOI: 10.1007/s00203-022-02945-3.

Diagnosis and Surveillance of Neonatal Infections by Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing.

Zhang R, Zhuang Y, Xiao Z, Li C, Zhang F, Huang W Front Microbiol. 2022; 13:855988.

PMID: 35401464 PMC: 8989347. DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.855988.

References

Tsuchiya K, Katase S, Yoshino A, Hachiya J . MRI of influenza encephalopathy in children: value of diffusion-weighted imaging. J Comput Assist Tomogr. 2001; 24(2):303-7. DOI: 10.1097/00004728-200003000-00023. View

Kordek R, Hainfellner J, Liberski P, Budka H . Deposition of the prion protein (PrP) during the evolution of experimental Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Acta Neuropathol. 1999; 98(6):597-602. DOI: 10.1007/s004010051124. View

Gire C, Girard N, Nicaise C, Einaudi M, Montfort M, Dejode J . Clinical features and neuroradiological findings of mitochondrial pathology in six neonates. Childs Nerv Syst. 2002; 18(11):621-8. DOI: 10.1007/s00381-002-0621-0. View

Sheth R . Frequency of neurologic disorders in the neonatal intensive care unit. J Child Neurol. 1998; 13(9):424-8. DOI: 10.1177/088307389801300902. View

Guinebretiere M, Broussolle V, Nguyen-The C . Enterotoxigenic profiles of food-poisoning and food-borne Bacillus cereus strains. J Clin Microbiol. 2002; 40(8):3053-6. PMC: 120679. DOI: 10.1128/JCM.40.8.3053-3056.2002. View

Huang Y, Wang S, Liu C, Yang Y . Invasive Escherichia coli infection in infancy: clinical manifestation, outcome, and antimicrobial susceptibility. J Microbiol Immunol Infect. 2002; 35(2):103-8. View

Stoll B, Hansen N, Fanaroff A, Wright L, Carlo W, Ehrenkranz R . To tap or not to tap: high likelihood of meningitis without sepsis among very low birth weight infants. Pediatrics. 2004; 113(5):1181-6. DOI: 10.1542/peds.113.5.1181. View

Chu W, Que T, Lee W, Wong S . Meningoencephalitis caused by Bacillus cereus in a neonate. Hong Kong Med J. 2001; 7(1):89-92. View

Ariel I, Arad I, Soffer D . Autopsy findings of Serratia meningoencephalitis in infants. Pediatr Pathol. 1986; 6(2-3):351-8. DOI: 10.3109/15513818609037725. View

10.

van der Zwet W, Parlevliet G, Savelkoul P, Stoof J, Kaiser A, van Furth A . Outbreak of Bacillus cereus infections in a neonatal intensive care unit traced to balloons used in manual ventilation. J Clin Microbiol. 2000; 38(11):4131-6. PMC: 87553. DOI: 10.1128/JCM.38.11.4131-4136.2000. View

11.

Jan W, Zimmerman R, Bilaniuk L, Hunter J, Simon E, Haselgrove J . Diffusion-weighted imaging in acute bacterial meningitis in infancy. Neuroradiology. 2003; 45(9):634-9. DOI: 10.1007/s00234-003-1035-8. View

12.

Hendrickx B, Azou M, Vandepitte J, Jaeken J, Eggermont E . Bacillus cereus meningo-encephalitis in a pre-term baby. Acta Paediatr Belg. 1981; 34(2):107-12. View

13.

Niijima S, Levene M . Post-asphyxial encephalopathy in a preterm infant. Dev Med Child Neurol. 1989; 31(3):395-7. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.1989.tb04010.x. View

14.

Millan M, Garcia S, Capellades J, Ferrer X, Escudero D, Vila N . [Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance in deep cerebral venous thrombosis]. Neurologia. 2002; 17(8):443-6. View

15.

Kline M . Citrobacter meningitis and brain abscess in infancy: epidemiology, pathogenesis, and treatment. J Pediatr. 1988; 113(3):430-4. DOI: 10.1016/s0022-3476(88)80623-1. View

16.

. Proteus and coliform meningoencephalitis in neonates. J Clin Pathol. 1968; 21(4):422-31. PMC: 473826. DOI: 10.1136/jcp.21.4.422. View

17.

Kimberlin D . Meningitis in the Neonate. Curr Treat Options Neurol. 2002; 4(3):239-248. DOI: 10.1007/s11940-002-0041-1. View

18.

Groenendaal F, Beek F, Eken P, van Haastert I, de Vries L . Parenchymal brain injury in the preterm infant: comparison of cranial ultrasound, MRI and neurodevelopmental outcome. Neuropediatrics. 2001; 32(2):80-9. DOI: 10.1055/s-2001-13875. View

19.

Baumeister F, Auberger K, Schneider K . Thrombosis of the deep cerebral veins with excessive bilateral infarction in a premature infant with the thrombogenic 4G/4G genotype of the plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. Eur J Pediatr. 2000; 159(4):239-42. DOI: 10.1007/s004310050062. View

20.

Senesi S, Celandroni F, Salvetti S, Beecher D, Wong A, Ghelardi E . Swarming motility in Bacillus cereus and characterization of a fliY mutant impaired in swarm cell differentiation. Microbiology (Reading). 2002; 148(Pt 6):1785-1794. DOI: 10.1099/00221287-148-6-1785. View