An epidemic of septicemia with meningitis and hemorrhagic encephalitis in premature infants

In this epidemic, Paracolobactrum aerogenoides, an organism which is seldom pathogenic, appeared to have developed virulence, particularly against the brain and meninges of premature infants. Of the 22 infants with various manifestations of infection, 11 died with meningitis and 8 showed hemorrhagic encephalitis. The epidemic seemed at an end on several occasions, only to break out again months later. It appeared that the organisms might survive for long periods of time in the incubators due to the difficulty of disinfecting these mechines; the epidemic was not finally brought under control until an exhaustive cleaning technique was instituted.