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morbidity and mortality over the second-line drug, chloramphenicol, and doxycycline also treats ehrlichiosis,
which can present with symptoms similar to RMSF. Doxycycline is the preferred treatment for RMSF in children
of all ages, unless a child has a severe doxycycline allergy.
Babesiosis
Babesiosis is caused by Babesia microti, an intraerythrocytic parasite whose symptoms mimic those of malaria in
persons who lack a travel history to a malarial-endemic region. Babesiosis is seen in the northeastern and upper
Midwestern United States; it is transmitted by the same Ixodes ticks that transmit Lyme disease and has also been
transmitted via blood transfusion. Symptoms include fever and influenza-like illness; signs can be minimal, but in
more severe cases, tachypnea, hypotension, icterus, and mild hepatosplenomegaly can be seen. Disease can be
severe in asplenic patients, who have very high parasite burdens. The diagnosis is made by thick and thin blood
smears demonstrating the organism’s classic Maltese cross form within erythrocytes. Treatment is azithromycin
with atovaquone or clindamycin with quinine for 7 to 10 days. Exchange transfusion may be needed for patients
with parasitemia above 10%.
CNS INFECTIOUS EMERGENCIES
Meningitis, Bacterial
CLINICAL PEARLS AND PITFALLS
The most common causes of meningitis in the first month of life are GBS and gram-negative rods;
beyond the first month of life, the most common etiologies are pneumococcus and meningococcus.
The “classic” signs and symptoms of meningitis, including nuchal rigidity, are insensitive in infancy.
The Gram stain of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) should be used to broaden, but not to narrow, empiric
antibiotic selection.
Empiric antibiotic therapy should comprise bactericidal agents that cross the blood–brain barrier. For
neonates, ampicillin and either cefotaxime or ceftriaxone can be used. For infants and older children,
vancomycin (for enhanced pneumococcal coverage) and either cefotaxime or ceftriaxone (for
meningococcal coverage) should be utilized.
In neonates and young infants with a CSF pleocytosis, addition of acyclovir (20 mg/kg every 8 hours)
is reasonable until herpes simplex virus (HSV) is excluded.
Current Evidence
The most common causes of bacterial meningitis by age are listed in Table 94.3 . In the first month of life,