Neonatal meningitis in Nigerian infants.
53 Nigerian infants with neonatal meningitis were prospectively studied. The striking features were: (a) the higher predisposition (26.7-fold) of LBW infants to developing meningitis than has been previously reported in the literature; (b) the predominant role of E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus; and (c) the rarity of salmonella organisms and the conspicuous absence of group B streptococcus as aetiological pathogens. The outcome was related to the age of onset and type of micro-organism. The presence of neurological signs, particularly nuchal rigidity and bulging anterior fontanelle, carried a poor prognosis. The overall mortality was 37.7%.
D005260:Female; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008581:Meningitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000401:mortality; D009549:Nigeria; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies