BURDEN OF ENTEROCOCCAL ISOLATES FROM CSF IN SUSPECTED CASES OF MENINGITIS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL, IN EAST DELHI.

Pediatric meningitis pathogens like Enterococcus faecalis and faecium are rare but important. Unlike Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis, which cause most bacterial meningitis in children, enterococcal meningitis is resistant and difficult to treat. Any disturbance in host/commensal homeostasis that compromises the host defense mechanism or environmental influences, such as antibiotic use that promotes resistant enterococci, can cause life-threatening infections. High-level aminoglycoside resistance (HLAR) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in clinical isolates are causing global concern because they can cause more severe infections and serious health issues. Our study found Enterococcus strains with gender distribution M:F ratio 2.07, 65% E. faecalis and 35% E. faecium. 70% from NICU, 50% from children. Enterococcus isolation raises epidemiology concerns. Due to the sample's sensitivity, repeated isolation rarely confirms the isolate's presence. Thus, the current study suggests investigating newer organisms in such infections.