Epidemiological profile of acute bacterial meningitis in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.
BACKGROUND
Acute bacterial meningitis (ABM) remains a public health problem in Brazil. To evaluate the epidemiology of ABM cases at Giselda Trigueiro Hospital, Rio Grande do Norte, a descriptive retrospective survey was conducted covering 2005 to 2008.


METHODS
Clinical and laboratory data were collected from the epidemiology department of the hospital and analyzed.


RESULTS
Out of 168 ABM cases, 24.4%, 10.7%, and 2.4% were, respectively, caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis and Haemophilus influenza b, and 5.4% by other bacteria. The mean age was 22.48 +/- 18.7 years old.


CONCLUSIONS
Streptococcus pneumoniae was the main causative pathogen in the young urban population.
Silva
Wallace Andrino da
WA
Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Genomics, Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Center for Biosciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil. wallaceandrino@yahoo.com.br
Pinheiro
Aline Macêdo
AM
Coutinho
Leonam Gomes
LG
Marinho
Luis Alberto Carneiro
LA
Lima
Lucymara Fassarella Agnez
LF
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult