title: [Etiology and clinical course of meningitis in children].
abstract: The aim of the paper was to pinpoint the etiological factors which caused meningitis, and to describe the course of the illness in the patients hospitalized in the years 1991-2000 at the observation ward of the Paediatrics Propaedeutics Clinic of the Paediatrics Institute. Etiological factors were determined in 42 of 80 cases included in the study: in 32 out of 62 purulent meningitis cases and 10 out of 18 aseptic meningitis cases. In purulent meningitis the most commonly isolated pathogens were N. meningitidis (16%), S. pneumoniae (8.1%), K. pneumoniae (4.9%) and H. influenzae type B (4.9%), where as in aseptic meningitis--mumps and herpes viruses. Despite appropriate treatment in 47% of cases there were observed complications such as hydrocephalus, brain oedema, ependymitis as well as hearing or vision impairment and failure to thrive.
authors.affiliation: Klinika Propedeutyki Pediatrii Instytutu Pediatrii Uniwersytetu Medycznego w Łodzi. propedeutyka@alef.am.lodz.pl
authors.forename: Elzbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Loba-Jakubowska
authors.forename: Jolanta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frasunkiewicz
authors.forename: Danuta
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chlebna-Sokół
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D019741:Haemophilus influenzae type b / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008297:Male; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D008583:Meningitis, Haemophilus / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification*