Antimicrobial selection for meningitis in young infants.

Organisms causing community-acquired meningitis in the first four months of life were reviewed. Species of Streptococcus and Enterobacteriaceae were preponderant in the neonatal period, whereas S pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae were preponderant after the first month of life. The Enterobacteriaceae, other than Salmonella, were not associated with meningitis after one month of age. Implications for antimicrobial selection were considered.