title: [Childhood bacterial meningitis trends in Japan from 2007 to 2008].
abstract: We surveyed pediatrics bacterial meningitis epidemiology from January 2007 to December 2008 in Japan, with the following results: Cases numbered 287-160 male and 127 female-equivalent to 1.54-1.62 of 1,000 pediatric hospitalization per year. Children under 1-year-old accounted for the highest number of cases, which decreased with increasing age. Haemophilus influenzae was the most common cause of infection, followed by Streptococcus pneumoniae, group B streptococcus (GBS), and Escherichia coli. GBS and E. coli were major pathogens in children under 4 months of age, while H. influenzae and S. pneumoniae mainly accounted for those over 4 months of age. Susceptibility tests showed that 51% of H. influenzae isolates and 56.5% of S. pneumoniae isolates in 2008 were drug-resistant. Ampicillin combined with cephem antibiotics effective against GBS, E. coli, and Listeria, were mainly used to initially treat those under 4 months of age. In those over 4 months of age, carbapenem antibiotics are effective against PRSP and cephem antibiotics against H. influenza.
authors.affiliation: Kitasato Institute for Life Science & Graduate School of Infection Control Science, Kitasato University.
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sunakawa
authors.forename: Fuminori
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: Yuriko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hirao
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hanaki
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nonoyama
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iwata
authors.forename: Hironobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akita
authors.forename: Yoshitake
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sato
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008583:Meningitis, Haemophilus / Q000453:epidemiology; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology