Meningitis, or inflammation of the membranes around the brain and spinal cord, can develop at any age, but is particularly dangerous in newborns, a condition called neonatal meningitis. Neonatal meningitis is typically fatal if untreated and even some babies who receive treatment do not survive. The cause may be bacterial or viral in origin and some of the most common culprits are preventable with proper care and attention before and immediately after the birth of the baby.
Group B Streptococcus
According to BabyCenter, between 10 and 30 percent of pregnant women carry the bacteria group B streptococcus, also known as GBS, in their vaginal tract, a common cause of neonatal meningitis. Women are typically screened for the presence of GBS in the birth canal between weeks 35 to 37 and women who have the infection can be prescribed antibiotics during labor to combat the bacteria and prevent neonatal meningitis, sepsis and other potential complications of a GBS infection.
Listeria
Neonatal meningitis caused by the bacteria Listeriosis monocytogenes typically begins before birth. A mother who becomes infected with listeria may have mild, flu-like symptoms, but the bacteria itself can pass through the placenta and infect the developing baby. If the mother contracts listeria in the last weeks of pregnancy, this can lead to neonatal meningitis after the baby is born; the baby may be born prematurely as a result of the infection. Listeria can be caught by a pregnant woman if she eats foods that have the bacteria, such as deli meats or soft-serve ice cream.
E. Coli
The bacteria E. coli is a major source of meningitis in infants, causing about 20 percent of all cases, according to the Meningitis Research Foundation. One particular strain of E. coli, called K1, causes most of these infections and can be acquired during delivery or shortly afterward through contact with someone carrying the bacteria. It is most likely to develop into meningitis if the infection occurs 48 hours or more after birth, since earlier infections tend to develop into sepsis, an infection of the bloodstream, instead.
Herpes Simplex
Babies born to mothers infected with the herpes simplex virus may contract the virus during birth and develop meningitis as a result of the infection. The danger is highest in women who have contracted the virus for the first time during the last trimester of pregnancy and those who are having an active herpes outbreak at the time of delivery. The antiviral drug acyclovir may help prevent outbreaks that could lead to infection if a woman takes the drug during the last trimester. Women who are having an active outbreak when labor begins may opt for a Cesarean delivery, another way to lessen the chances of infection in the newborn and prevent a dangerous case of neonatal meningitis.
