title: Determinants and outcomes of ventriculoperitoneal shunt infections in Enugu, Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To evaluate the determinants and outcomes of shunt infection (SI).
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred ninety-eight pediatric hydrocephalic patients treated with a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt between January 2008 and August 2012 were retrospectively studied. Patients with SI were compared to those without SI in terms of the occurrence of risk factors and outcomes. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software (version 15).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The age range was 2 weeks to 13 years, with a mean age of 3.1 ± 0.19 years for the SI group versus 2.7 ± 0.2 years for those without SI. One hundred and twelve patients were female and 86 were male. SI was recorded in 17 (8.6%) patients. Postinfective hydrocephalus (n = 6) was the most common cause of hydrocephalus in the SI group. Individuals in the SI group, compared to those without infection, were more likely to be underweight (χ2 = 23.4, p < 0.01). The mean interval between VP shunt placement and SI was 1.83 ± 1.25 months. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (29.4%) was the most common pathogen. The mortality rate in our series was 21.4% in patients with SI compared to 2.7% in those without SI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus is currently the most common cause of SI and underweight children appear have a higher risk.
authors.affiliation: Neurological Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria.
authors.forename: E O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Uche
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Onyia
authors.forename: U C
authors.initials: UC
authors.lastname: Mezue
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Okorie
authors.forename: I I
authors.initials: II
authors.lastname: Ozor
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Chikani
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D017287:Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt / Q000009:adverse effects*