ZOONOSES IN EARLY INFANCY

Zoonoses during early infancy have been infrequently reported in the pediatric literature. The spectrum of the disease in such affected infants ranges from mild disease such as gastroenteritis to the unusual forms involving the CNS. During a 16 month period, 3 infants less than 3 months of age were seen; 2 patients ages 4 and 8 weeks respectively, developed septicemia and meningitis with blood and CSF cultures growing Pasturella multocida. Their hospital courses were complicated by seizures and delay in the identification of the organism. They were both treated with 2 weeks of IV antibiotics. Both infants had an unremarkable recovery with no neurological sequelae. A 3 week old infant was diagnosed to have Yersinia enterocolitica sepsis and was treated with appropriate IV antibodies. All 3 patients had close direct contact with pet dogs and one infant had a household adult contact whose nasopharynx grew Pasturella multocida. Epidemiological, clinical and serologic data obtained emphasized the high degree of association with household pets, especially dogs. The 3 cases reported have provided documentation of the occurrence of zoonoses in normal, non-immuno compromised infants and stresses the need to develop preventive measures in protecting the infant from exposure to such infectious agents.