title: [Lethality and danger of 14 types of purulent meningitis in the pre-ampicillin and in the ampicillin period. Synoptic overview of an epidemiologic study].
abstract: Based on epidemiological data in the western literature, the lethality of purulent meningitis over the last 32 years has been assessed. 14 types of meningitis (11 with frequent, 3 with rare etiologic agents) were investigated, and the results of the pre-ampicillin period (1948-1962) compared with the post-ampicillin period (1963-1979).
  
  
  RESULTS
  during the ampicillin period lethality decreased significantly in patients aged below 60 years. For meningitis caused by salmonellae and certain strains of streptococci, the decrease was not statistically significant. In the population over 60, however, no significant decrease occurred, and the lethality of meningococcal meningitis even increased significantly. Presentation in graph form shows these findings very clearly, and comparison with the lethality of Hemophilus influenzae meningitis serves to express the potential danger of all these meningitis types numerically.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000667:Ampicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008581:Meningitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009656:North America; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002511:Cephalosporins; D000667:Ampicillin
vernacular_title: Die Letalität und die Gefährlichkeit von 14 eitrigen Meningitisarten in der Vor-Ampicillin- und in der Ampicillin-Ara. Synoptische Ubersicht einer epidemiologischen Studie.