Meningitis in an infant due to a relatively penicillin resistant strain of streptococcus pneumoniae

A six months old infant with bacterial meningitis is described. The infection was caused by a strain of S. pneumoniae that showed relative resistance to penicillin with a MIC value of 0.5 micro g/mL The disease ran a complicated course that might have been precipitated by repeated courses of other antibiotics before the correct diagnosis was established. Regular screening of S. pneumoniae with regard to penicillin resistance is emphasised