title: Epidemiological profile of acute bacterial meningitis in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: 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
authors.forename: Wallace Andrino da
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Aline Macêdo
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Pinheiro
authors.forename: Leonam Gomes
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Coutinho
authors.forename: Luis Alberto Carneiro
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Marinho
authors.forename: Lucymara Fassarella Agnez
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Lima
mesh_terms: 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