SEQUELAE OF BACTERIAL MENINGITIS IN INFANTS.

Electroencephalograms, developmental tests and intelligence tests indicated that six of ten children under two years of age who had purulent meningitis, had apparent permanent neurological damage. The data suggested that this damage may be related in part to the occurrence of subdural effusions. Serial electroencephalograms and developmental tests appeared useful for suggesting which patients might retain a high risk of compromised brain function. The lack of further decrease in mortality from this disease in recent years may be because of cases in which meningitis is "secondary" to a primary disease of the central nervous system-that is, due to operation for brain tumor or myelomeningocele which affords direct entry of organisms. The incidence of permanent sequelae following this disease may not be decreasing.