Neonatal E. coli pericarditis

The infant was the 2580 Gm. product of a full term, uncomplicated pregnancy. There was no history of maternal fever, urinary tract infection or premature rupture of the membranes. The APGAR scores were 5 and 7 at l and 5 minutes respectively. At 50 hours of age she was noted to have a poor suck and to be jaundiced. At 64 hours of age the infant was moribund and hypothermic. The cardiac impulse was just left of the sternum with a rate of 160 beats/ minute. The heart sounds were distant but no murmur or rub was auscultated. Peripheral pulses were weak in the upper extremities and absent in the lower extremities. The blood pressure was 58/26 and 0/0 mm Hg in the upper and lower extremities respectively. The lungs were clear to auscultation, and the liver and spieen were enlarged. Laboratory data on admission revealed hemoglobin 18.2 gm%, WBC 6,500/mm with two segmented neutrophils, 84 lymphocytes and 14 monocytes; platelets 159,000/cu mm; pH 7.05, pC02 48 mm Hg. Serum bilirubin total of 12.5% with an indirect of 11.4 mg%. A ehest x-ray revealed an enlarged cardiac Silhouette with pulmonary congestion. The electrocardiogram was normal for age. Curriculum vitae