MENINGITIS DUE TO VIRIDANS STREPTOCOCCI IN ADULTS

Seven patients are reported with meningitis due to viridans streptococ ci. These patients represented 5% of culture-proven cases of bacterial meningitis in adults participating in a prospective multicentre clini cal trial evaluating the use of dexamethasone. Meningitis was iatrogen ic in three patients: one patient had been treated with endoscopic scl erotherapy for oesophageal varices, and two patients had undergone the rmocoagulation of the gasserian ganglion for trigeminal neuralgia in t he previous days.