A female infant was born at 31 weeks gestation with normal measurements for age and good adaptation to extra-uterine life. The mother had an Escherichia coli urinary tract infection at 30 weeks. One week later, chorioamnionitis led to premature delivery. There was no precocious foeto-maternal infection. At day 15, apneas revealed E. coli sepsis and meningitis. Intravenous antibiotics were administered including cefotaxime 200 mg/kg/d for 23 days and gentamycin 3 mg/kg/d for 10 days. Active hydrocephaly appeared; successful surgical intervention with ventriculocysternostomy was performed on day 44. Two days after the onset of the meningitis, the infant presented dehydration. I lyperhydration was inefficient in correcting the dehydration and we had a paradoxical conservation of diuresis with low urine sodium level and low urine osmolality. Administration of desmopressin acetate (DDAVP) intranasally confirmed the diagnosis of central diabetes insipidus with rapid normalisation of electrolytes. Cerebral magnetic resonance imaging showed no physiological high-intensity area on the posterior pituitary gland on sagittal Tl-weighted imaging. Partial central hypothyroidism was revealed at 3 months of age. No other pituitary deficiency was noted. Neurodevelopmental impairment with bilateral perception deafness and partial blindness was assessed. This observation reports the first case of permanent diabetes insipidus caused by neonatal meningitis with E. coli.

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