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.
Paediatric Institute, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
I H
IH
Hussain
A
A
Sofiah
L C
LC
Ong
K E
KE
Choo
M N
MN
Musa
K H
KH
Teh
H P
HP
Ng
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