title: Neonatal meningitis in northern Jordan.
abstract: A two-and-a-half year prospective study of neonatal meningitis in the two main referral hospitals in Northern Jordan was carried out to determine the clinical spectrum and particular characteristics of meningitis in the newborn. The 53 cases studied represented an incidence of 1.1 per 1000 live births. The commonest bacterial pathogen isolated was Klebsiella species (40 per cent) followed by Enterobacter (19 per cent). The mortality rate and neurological sequelae among surviving children were 32 and 39 per cent, respectively, with higher rates among preterm/low birth weight and early onset meningitis groups. Of the presenting clinical features, there was a highly positive association between two risk factors and outcome. A bulging anterior fontanelle was the only significant predictor of mortality (P = 0.009) and altered sensorium was the only predictive of post-meningitis sequelae (P = 0.016). The need to recognize that Klebsiella species is an increasingly important pathogen; cefotaxime or ceftazidime plus ampicillin are the most appropriate antibiotics to be used initially, and continuous surveillance thereafter have been stressed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Daoud
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: al-Sheyyab
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Abu-Ekteish
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Obeidat
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: el-Shanti
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007226:Infant Mortality / Q000639:trends; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007597:Jordan / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents