title: [Meningitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus. Analysis of 16 cases].
abstract: During the period between 1982 and 1987, 16 cases of meningitis due to Staphylococcus aureus were diagnosed. Nine patients (56%) had undergone a previous neurosurgical operation and 5 of them were carriers of a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt. Seven patients (44%) had spontaneous meningitis. Fever and meningeal signs were the most common clinical findings. 50% of patients were comatose. The Gram stain of CSF showed Gram positive cocci in 7 cases. Blood cultures were positive in all patients with spontaneous meningitis and negative in the neurosurgical group. Overall mortality rate was 37.5%, and it was lower in the neurosurgical group than in the spontaneous meningitis. Other factors associated with a poor outcome were advanced age, bacteremia and septic shock.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna-Patología Infecciosa, Hospital Vall d'Hebron, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Falcó Ferrer
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Almirante Gragera
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pahissa Berga
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gasser
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fernández Pérez
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Martínez Vázquez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008581:Meningitis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections
vernacular_title: Meningitis por Staphylococcus aureus. Análisis de dieciséis casos.