Group B Strep Meningitis: How Are the Survivors Doing?

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Despite the eradication of some of the most serious bacterial etiologies for meningitis thanks to vaccinations, infants at birth are still vulnerable to the leading cause of meningitis in newborns: Group B streptococcus (GBS). Although we have reduced mortality from this pathogen, have we been as successful in terms of morbidity? Libster et al. (doi: 10.1542/peds.2011-3453) studied GBS outcomes in 90 infants diagnosed with this pathogen from 1998-2006 who survived after three years up to 12 years of age in terms of their developmental outcomes. While a little more than half were age-appropriate (56%), the remainder had anywhere from mild to severe impairment. The complications of those infants who died before age three or who had severe impairment continuing after that age are discussed in depth. We have not seen this large a series of patients described previously and if ever there were a call for new prevention strategies, such as maternal immunization to Group B strep, this article certainly should inspire further efforts to prevent any more of the serious and sad outcomes that are described in detail.