[Clinical and epidemiologic study of meningococcal meningitis in the health region of Santiago de Compostela (1990-1997)].
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to determine the clinico-epidemiologic characteristics of meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis.


METHODS
A retrospective study was performed of the bacterial meningitis with LCR positive cultures for Neisseria meningitidis from January 1990 to 31 March, 1997. To calculate the rate of incidence data from the 1990 population census were used corresponding to a population of 465,786 inhabitants per year attended in our hospital.


RESULTS
A growth was observed in the strains of N. meningitidis in 61 LCR, representing 30% of all positive LCRs. Thirty-three strains belonged to serogroup B (54%) and 28 of serogroup C (46%). Ninety-one point nine percent of the cases were found in patients under the age of 20. The annual rates of incidence ranged from 2.3 cases/100,000 inhabitants in 1990 to 3.4 cases/100,000 inhabitants in 1996 with a slight decrease between these two dates. In patients under the age of 15 years, the rates of incidence ranged from 12.3/100,000 in 1990 to 13.4 per 100,000 inhabitants in 1996. In the remaining years the rates decreased with a minimum of 2.2 cases/100,000 inhabitants. The incidence for N. meningitis serogroup C ranged from 0 to 0.9 cases/100,000 inhabitants between 1990 and 1995. In 1996 the rate increased up to 2.6 cases/100,000 inhabitants. The rate of mortality was 6.6% and sequelae 8.7%. Since 1995 strains with decreased sensitivity to penicillin have been isolated, with percentages ranging from 20% to 56.25%. All strains remained sensitive to third generation cephalosporins and rifampicin.


CONCLUSIONS
Neisseria meningitidis remains the most frequent etiologic agent of acute bacterial meningitis. The increase in serogroup C strains and the ever more frequent appearance of strains with decreased resistance to penicillin are confirmed, as is the persistence of high levels of endemia in our medium.
Juncal
A R
AR
Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital General de Galicia.
Pérez del Molino
M L
ML
Rodríguez
I
I
Cid
A
A
Guillán
B
B
Pardo
F
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000145:classification; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
Estudio clínico y epidemiológico de las meningitis meningocócicas en el área sanitaria de Santiago de Compostela (1990-1997).