Bacteraemia in cerebral malaria

As part of a treatment trial of cerebral malaria, blood cultures were done in 276 Gambian children, aged between 1 and 9 years, with cerebral malaria. Fourteen (5%) of these were positive. The organisms isolated were Staphylo coccus aureus (6), coliforms (4), Pseudomonas spp. (2), Salmonella spp. (1) and Streptococcus spp. (1). Thirteen of these children survived, most with out appropriate antibiotic treatment. Most of the retrieved organisms were therefore suspected to be contaminants. Bacteraemia complicating cerebral m alaria is not common in The Gambia, and routine antibiotic treatment of chi ldren with cerebral malaria is not warranted.