Survivors of bacterial meningitis frequently suffer from long-term sequelae, particularly from learning and memory deficits. For this reason, spatial memory and learning was studied in a mouse model of ceftriaxone-treated Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis. Persistent deficits of spatial learning despite normal motor function were observed in mice infected with 10(4) colony-forming units (CFU) in 25 microl of saline into the right forebrain in comparison to mice treated with an equal amount of saline. Survivors of meningitis performed significantly worse in memorizing a hidden platform in a Morris water maze. After 2 weeks, the difference between post-meningitis and control mice diminished. Yet, when the platform was moved after 180 days, learning of the new location was still strongly impaired in mice surviving meningitis.