title: A prospective study of etiology of childhood acute bacterial meningitis, Turkey.
abstract: Determination of the etiology of bacterial meningitis and estimating cost of disease are important in guiding vaccination policies. To determine the incidence and etiology of meningitis in Turkey, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were obtained prospectively from children (1 month-17 years of age) with a clinical diagnosis of acute bacterial meningitis. Multiplex PCR was used to detect DNA evidence of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), and Neisseria meningitidis. In total, 408 CSF samples were collected, and bacterial etiology was determined in 243 cases; N. meningitidis was detected in 56.5%, S. pneumoniae in 22.5%, and Hib in 20.5% of the PCR-positive samples. Among N. meningitidis-positive CSF samples, 42.7%, 31.1%, 2.2%, and 0.7% belonged to serogroups W-135, B, Y, and A, respectively. This study highlights the emergence of serogroup W-135 disease in Turkey and concludes that vaccines to prevent meningococcal disease in this region must provide reliable protection against this serogroup.
authors.affiliation: Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ceyhan
authors.forename: Inci
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yildirim
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Balmer
authors.forename: Ray
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Borrow
authors.forename: Bunyamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dikici
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Turgut
authors.forename: Nese
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kurt
authors.forename: Aysel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aydogan
authors.forename: Cigdem
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ecevit
authors.forename: Yasar
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Anlar
authors.forename: Ozlem
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gulumser
authors.forename: Gonul
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tanir
authors.forename: Nuran
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Salman
authors.forename: Nezahat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gurler
authors.forename: Nevin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hatipoglu
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hacimustafaoglu
authors.forename: Solmaz
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Celebi
authors.forename: Yavuz
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Coskun
authors.forename: Emre
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alhan
authors.forename: Umit
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Celik
authors.forename: Yildiz
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Camcioglu
authors.forename: Gulten
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Secmeer
authors.forename: Deniz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gur
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gray
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D019741:Haemophilus influenzae type b / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000235:genetics; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000235:genetics; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology