A toddler who died from meningitis after allegedly being misdiagnosed in hospital did not display any external signs of the disease and the cause was only established during a postmortem examination, a court heard yesterday.

Pathologist Brigitte Ellul provided details of the postmortem findings while testifying in the criminal case against seven doctors who are pleading not guilty to involuntary homicide.

The doctors cannot be named by court order.

Cross examined by Joe Giglio, Dr Ellul said there were no external signs of infection on the child’s body and she was only able to conclude during the postmortem that Aimee Abela had died as a result of meningitis. Court-appointed medical expert Mario Scerri told the court in February this year that investigations indicated the infection could have been identified had the proper tests been carried out on the child, who died in February 2011.

He expressed disappointment that none of the doctors caring for the child had ordered a septic screen.

Dr Scerri felt that had proper medication been administered, the infant would have responded but this was only carried out towards the end of her life.

The case continues.