title: Retrospective survey on the epidemiology of H. influenzae type B meningitis in Italy (1987-91).
abstract: A retrospective survey on the epidemiology of H. Influenzae type b (Hib) meningitis was carried out in seven Italian hospitals. During the period 1987-1991, 95 (16.3%) Hib meningitis cases out of 581 bacterial meningitis cases were observed. The proportion of Hib meningitis was lowest in 1987 (11.3%); elevated in 1988 (17.9%); thereafter it did not change. A male preponderance was observed (Sex ratio 1.6). The age distribution showed that 93.7% of cases occurred in subjects < 5 years, 53.7% of cases in those < 1 year. Although Hib meningitis accounts for a small proportion of all bacterial meningitis, it is also a major problem in Italy in early childhood, because nearly all cases occur in children < 5 years.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Clinica delle Malattie Infettive, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cellesi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rossolini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Balestrieri
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marinacci
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pavesio
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Soŕanzo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Titone
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vierucci
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stroffolini
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology; D008583:Meningitis, Haemophilus / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies