Scorpion envenomation in Merida, Venezuela.

This study involves a review of the records of 64 children referred to the University of los Andes Hospital with the diagnosis of scorpion envenomation. The patients were divided into group 1 (local manifestations, 42.4%) and group 2 (systemic manifestations, 7.8%). Seven of these patients had severe cardiorespiratory complications, came from distinct geographical zones and received antivenin. Our results indicate that poisonous and extremely dangerous scorpions predominate in certain geographical zones within the state of Merida, Venezuela.

[Meningitis caused by Bacteroides fragilis in children]. / Meningitis por Bacteroides fragilis en niños.

Bacteroides fragilis is an obligated anaerobic bacillus which forms part of the normal intestinal flora of the colon and is often seen as a common pathogen in intraabdominal infections. It is an infrequent pathogen in cases of meningitis; a review of the literature reports only eight cases of this disease in children, especially in neonates with conditioning factors such as abdominal sepsis, chronic middle ear otitis and atrial-ventricular derivations. A case of a newborn baby girl with lumbosacral myelomeningocele is reported. After the defect was surgically corrected, the wound became infected, the stitches opened, the child began to have fever, became irritable and suffered convulsions. The spinal tap showed changes compatible to bacterial meningitis, the bacteria was grown on Shaedler medium. The child was treated with cefotaxime and amikacin showing no satisfactory improvement. Afterwards, a second spinal tap showed Bacteroides fragilis.