Haemophilus influenzae meningitis in Malaysia.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the pattern of postneonatal childhood meningitis in Malaysia.


METHODS
Retrospective cross-sectional study involving five pediatric departments in Malaysia.


RESULTS
There were 435 cases of clinical meningitis admitted to the five centers. More than 90% of the patients were <5 years old, and one-half were <6 months of age. The estimated overall incidence of childhood meningitis in the first 5 years of life was 76.7 per 100000 per year. However, of the 435 cases only 71 (16.3%) fulfilled laboratory diagnostic criteria and in only 58 of these was an organism isolated. Nearly one-half (48%) of all bacteriologically proved cases were caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). The mortality rate was 12.5% and 21 patients (30%) suffered neurologic sequelae.


CONCLUSIONS
More than one-half of all cases of culture-positive childhood bacterial meningitis were caused by Hib, although successful isolation of a pathogen occurred in only a small proportion of cases. For this reason the true incidence of Hib meningitis in Malaysia remains unknown. These findings are consistent with previous studies in Malaysia.
Hussain
I H
IH
Paediatric Institute, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Sofiah
A
A
Ong
L C
LC
Choo
K E
KE
Musa
M N
MN
Teh
K H
KH
Ng
H P
HP
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019741:Haemophilus influenzae type b; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008583:Meningitis, Haemophilus / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies