title: Morbidity and mortality of bacterial meningitis in Arab children.
abstract: Between September 1981 and March 1987, 92 episodes of bacterial meningitis in 90 children were treated in three major hospitals in Kuwait. The diagnosis was bacteriologically confirmed in 80 (87%). Haemophilus influenzae was the most common aetiological organism and accounted for 42 episodes (45.6%) followed by Streptococcus pneumoniae in 21 (22.8%) and Neisseria meningitidis in only three (3.3%). Bacterial meningitis occurred in 53 children (57.6%) below the age of 1 year and in 81 (88%) below 5 years. The overall case fatality rate was 5.4% and ten children (9%) had severe neurological sequelae of their disease. Sequelae were more common following pneumococcal meningitis (28%) than after Haemophilus (7%). All 12 children with unknown pathogen recovered completely.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kuwait.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Shaltout
authors.forename: L T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Auger
authors.forename: N B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Awadallah
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hijazi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Johny
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Hajj
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kandil
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003638:Deafness / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000209:etiology; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007730:Kuwait / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008583:Meningitis, Haemophilus / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D012621:Seasons; D012640:Seizures / Q000209:etiology; D013353:Subdural Effusion / Q000209:etiology