[Meningitis following lumbar puncture].

Two young children underwent lumbar puncture because of fever and convulsions. After CSF examination had initially yielded no pathological findings, both children developed purulent meningitis. Second puncture and start of antibiotic therapy had been delayed, since CSF re-examination had only been performed two days after the first puncture. The literature reports on 23 similar cases in children. Whenever the clinical course suggests meningitis, one should therefore not hesitate to carry out a second lumbar puncture, even if CSF examination had yielded no pathological findings a short time ago.