Neonatal meningitis due to Gardnerella vaginalis.

A case of meningitis due to Gardnerella vaginalis occurred in a five-day-old newborn who had clinical signs of fever, polypnea and a grey complexion. After treatment with ampicillin, cefotaxime and netilmicin, the patient's condition improved, and no sequelae were observed. The bacterium isolated from a pure culture of the cerebrospinal fluid was identified by biochemical characteristics to be Gardnerella vaginalis, but it was not possible to define the source and mode of contamination.