Patterns and outcome of acute bacterial meningitis in a South Indian tertiary level hospital.
A retrospective analysis of childhood Acute Bacterial Meningitis from a tertiary care hospital in Bangalore revealed a winter clustering of cases and an absence of typical signs and symptoms in 40% of patients, with Staphylococcus aureus (10%) and coagulase negative Staphylococcus (9%) being the most common etiological agents. Mortality rate was 8.5%. High priority for the prevention of disease by these pathogens, especially in rural population and during winter, and a high degree of alertness for the detection of atypical disease is warranted.
Department of Paediatrics, St. John's Medical College, Bangalore, India. anoopdoc@yahoo.com
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Pulickal
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Mathew
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Xavier
D000208:Acute Disease; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification