Nosocomial bacterial meningitis — prevention rather than cure!

Madam, ventilator-associated pneumonia and urinary tract infections have been documented as nosocomial threats. However, nosocomial bacterial meningitis (NBM) is unique to neurology and neurosurgery patients with high mortality and morbidity rates.1 This is attributable to head trauma, hospital-acquired bacteraemia complicated by metastatic infection, or invasive procedures likeplacement of external ventricular drains (EVDs) and ventriculoperitoneal shunts, craniotomies, intrathecal infusions etc.2 NBM comprises a distinct patient group with specific bacterial pathogens including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and Acinetobacter species.