Newborn meningitis

Meningitis (pronounced: men-in-jy-tis) is an infection of the membranes (thin layers of tissue) around the brain and spinal cord. These are known as the meninges (pronounced: men-in-jees). They help protect your baby’s brain against injury and infection. They also contain the cerebro-spinal fluid, a clear watery fluid that protects the brain and spinal cord from bumps or jolts, and clears away waste products.

What causes meningitis in newborns?

Meningitis can be caused by infection with viruses, bacteria, or other germs such as fungi. Most serious meningitis infections are caused by bacteria.

A newborn baby’s immune system is not fully developed, which means they are more likely to get infections. For babies born prematurely, the immune system is even less developed than babies born at full term, making them more vulnerable.

Meningitis in newborn babies may be either ‘early onset’ or ‘late onset’. Early onset means it happens in the first three days after birth. Late onset means the infection starts after at least three days, and is most likely to develop within 28 days after birth.

Early onset meningitis is usually caused by bacteria that the baby picks up from the mother (birthing parent) during birth. Bacteria that are living harmlessly on the mother can sometimes cause serious infections in a newborn baby. Rarely, early onset meningitis is caused by bacteria that have infected the mother from food she has eaten, such as unpasteurised dairy products, pâté and raw fish.

Late onset meningitis is usually caused by bacteria from the environment around the baby. This type of meningitis is more likely to happen in premature babies, and most likely in babies who are in intensive care. 

Bacteria can get into places where your baby is attached to equipment such as tubes into their veins, or ventilation tubes which help support their breathing, although this is rare.

The bacteria can get into the baby’s blood and travel to the meninges around their brains. The meninges can then become inflamed and may cause damage to the brain.