MENINGITIS DUE TO BRUCELLA IN A CHILD

The presence of meningitis due to Brucella is rarely recognized in children. However, the disease probably is more common than the figures indicate; perhaps some of the conditions diagnosed as tuberculous meningitis in which no organisms were seen on direct smear or some of those diagnosed as influenzal meningitis in which the organisms were seen but not cultivated were meningitis due to Brucella. Of the twelve proved cases¹ reported, in only one did the patient recover, after an illness of from two to three weeks' duration; the patient later contracted transverse myelitis and at present is paralyzed below the midabdomen, with total paralysis of the extremities.^1h

The patient whose case is described in this paper had low grade meningitis, and Brucella abortus (var. bovis) was isolated from the spinal fluid. She was treated with intraspinal injections of human immune serum^1l and has completely recovered.

REPORT OF A