title: Causes and outcome of bacterial meningitis in Malawian children.
abstract: 598 children with bacterial meningitis were admitted to the paediatric wards of the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH), Blantyre, Malawi from July 1997 - March 2001. Patients were followed up at 1 and 6 months after hospital discharge when physical, neurological, developmental and hearing assessments were made. The most common causes of pyogenic meningitis were Streptococcus pneumoniae (40%), Haemophilus influenzae type b (28%), Neisseria meningitidis (11%), Salmonella species (5%). There was no growth on culture in 13% of cases. The overall mortality was 31% and 38% were left with significant sequelae. Indicators for a poor prognosis were younger age, lower coma score on admission, bacterial cause, nutritional status and HIV positivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, College of Medicine, Box 360, Blantyre; Wellcome Trust Research Laboratories, Box 30096, Blantyre.
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Molyneux
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, College of Medicine, Box 360, Blantyre; Wellcome Trust Research Laboratories, Box 30096, Blantyre.
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.affiliation: Audiology Department, Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital, Liverpool, Eaton Road, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Forsyth
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, College of Medicine, Box 360, Blantyre; Wellcome Trust Research Laboratories, Box 30096, Blantyre.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tembo
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, College of Medicine, Box 360, Blantyre; Wellcome Trust Research Laboratories, Box 30096, Blantyre.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mwenechanya
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, College of Medicine, Box 360, Blantyre; Wellcome Trust Research Laboratories, Box 30096, Blantyre.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kayira
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, College of Medicine, Box 360, Blantyre; Wellcome Trust Research Laboratories, Box 30096, Blantyre.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bwanaisa
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, College of Medicine, Box 360, Blantyre; Wellcome Trust Research Laboratories, Box 30096, Blantyre.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Njobvu
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, College of Medicine, Box 360, Blantyre.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Malenga