The First Infant Anaerobic Meningitis Infected by Prevotella bivia: A Case Report and Literature Review

Abstract: Anaerobic bacterial meningitis is a serious infection of the central nervous system (CNS) that leads to severe neurological complications, resulting in high levels of disability and mortality worldwide. However, accurately diagnosing and isolating the responsible pathogens remains challenging due to the difficulty in culturing anaerobic bacteria, as they require harsh anaerobic culture conditions. Anaerobic bacteria have rarely been reported in meningitis, especially in children. This report details the first infant with anaerobic meningitis caused by Prevotella bivia. Additionally, we present a case of infant anaerobic meningitis caused by P. bivia, detected using metagenomics next-generation sequencing (mNGS). Our clinical experience highlights the importance of early identification of Prevotella spp. through mNGS and anaerobic culture, the effectiveness of antimicrobial medications, and the timely implementation of carefully planned precision therapeutic regimens. Furthermore, we have conducted a comprehensive review of 10 cases of Prevotella spp. infection, summarized their clinical and laboratory examination characteristics, and identified their commonalities.

Keywords: Prevotella bivia, anaerobic meningitis, infant