Bacterial infections of the central nervous system (CNS) continue to be an important cause of morbidity and mortality in children. The spectrum of bacterial infection of CNS includes; focal or multifocal infections like brain abscesses or subdural empyema; or more generalized or diffuse infections like pyogenic meningitis or ventriculitis. Focal and generalized infections may co-exist in an individual patient. Prompt and adequate antibiotic therapy and occasionally neurosurgical interventions are the cornerstone of effective management. The recent emergence of several multidrug-resistant bacteria poses a threat to the effective management of bacterial CNS infections. Several adjunctive anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective therapies are being tried, however; none has made a remarkable impact on the outcome. Consequently, bacterial CNS infections in children still remain a challenge to manage. In this review, authors discuss the current updates on the diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of bacterial infections of the CNS in children (post-neonatal age group).
Keywords: Bacterial meningitides; Intracranial suppuration; Neuroinfections; Pyogenic brain abscess; Pyomeningitis.