Anyone experience Bacterial Meningitis from Groub B Strep?

jendb

One of my boys just got diagnosed with bacterial meningitis caused by group b.  He is 77 days old, so they are calling it late onset.  He was circumcised a few days ago and it looks infected down there.  The hospital says it isnt from that.  He has been on antibiotics since he had a fever.  The hospital is very good at starting at the first signs. 

I'm just so worried about long term affects of this.   I'll take any thoughts and prayers also!

Natalie_may

One of my boys had late onset group b, not as late as you but at 3 weeks of age.  They started him on antibiotics and gave him 3 weeks total, 2 weeks from the first "clean" spinal tap.  The neos will probably order an MRI before discharge (if that wasn't already in the works for other reasons).  We were also referred to physical therapy. If it was caught early, and it sounds like it was, long-term effects should be minimal.

 

Now, not to scare you but we had another VERY RARE complication of the infection.  The group b found a tertiary home in his shin and knee, he has had a few surgeries to drain the infection and was given another 42 day course of antibiotics through the PICC line and is now thriving and at home with us.  We have follow-ups with the orthopedic surgeon bi-monthy and we are watching and waiting to see what happens to his growth plate.  Again this is very rare but it doesn't hurt to keep an eye out for any unusual swelling for the next month or two.

 

Good  luck and T&Ps are with you!

jendb

Thanks for your reply!  Can I ask if you had a vaginal delivery or c-section?  I had a c-section, and I can't find anywhere that says they can get group b strep from a c section.  My water didnt break, they broke the sac durring my surgery.  I am really feeling that he got the infection from the circ and it bacame meningitis.

Natalie_may

I was sectioned as well and my group b swab the week before was negative (about half of late-onset cases had negative swabs).  I haven't heard about contracting it from circumcision (my boys aren't so I have no experience) but any type of wound can be an entryway to infection.  I would ask the neos at next rounds (another neo might be able to shed some more light) and just keep an eye on the area.  Unfortunately sometimes there is no obvious cause and as NICU moms that can be the most frustrating thing, not knowing why this happened. 

I hope you can find an answer and hoping for a speedy recovery. 

Crystal318

My son was born at 41 weeks and was positive for Group B immediately after birth (even though I was negative). He was tested for Meningitis twice (two spinal taps) but the the results were inconclusive because they were never able to get enough fluid because he was so young and so sick. They ended up treating him for Meningitis anyways (14 days on antibiotic instead of 10 days for Group . He was discharged after 17 days. I was in labor for 30 hours and ended up with a c-section (related to several other life threatening complications) so I assume the Group B was becuase he was in the birth canal for so long (they also broke my water too early and turned down the pitocin for too long).

The only thing I can say is that LO is almost seven months now and all his tests/follow ups (ENT, neurologist, developments specialist, etc) have been normal. Thank God! The prognosis was not good in the beginning - they didnt know if he would even make it

You will be in my T&Ps!  I am sorry you and you LO's are going through this right now. Hang in there mama!

jendb

Thank you all for your replies!  J is getting better everyday, it is just so hard and I'm glad I found stories similar to ours!

Bostonkisses2--I read your blog and I feel some of the early blog posts, I could have wrote!  Judith is beautiful!