title: Epidemiology of meningitis in Oman, 2000-2005.
abstract: We reviewed the epidemiologic features and trends for 771 cases of meningitis in Oman from January 2000 to December 2005. We found 69% were bacterial in origin and 13% were viral. Leading bacterial pathogens included Haemophilus influenzae (15%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (14%) and Nesseria meningitidis (12%). For 56% of patients with suspected pyogenic meningitis, no specific bacterial pathogen could be identified. Peak occurrence was in children under 2 years old. The incidence of H. influenzae type b decreased by almost 100% after implementation of the national immunization programme in 2001, while the incidence of cases caused by S. pneumoniae and N. meningitidis remained steady.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Oman Medical College, Oman. ndash@sharjah.ac.ae
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dash
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al Khusaiby
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Behlim
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mohammadi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mohammadi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al Awaidy
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008583:Meningitis, Haemophilus / Q000453:epidemiology; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000453:epidemiology; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000453:epidemiology; D008587:Meningitis, Viral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D009850:Oman / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014611:Vaccination