Epidemiological evaluation of meningitis in hospitalized patients in shahid Madani Hospital in Khorramabad

Bacterial meningitis is an acute infection of the meninges requiring immediate diagnosis and treatment. Clinical, laboratory, and epidemiological findings of meningitis are of utmost importance for rapid diagnosis and treatment. The present study aimed to evaluate patients with meningitis based on their epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory findings and compare these variables between patients with septic and aseptic meningitis.

In this retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study, all children with suspected meningitis in Shahid Madani Hospital in Khorramabad in 2014-2015 were examined for spinal fluid culture, age, gender, seasonal distribution, and antibiogram results.

  Among 63 patients with meningitis, 30 (47.6%) cases had septic meningitis, and 33 (52.4%) subjects had aseptic meningitis. Out of 30 patients with septic meningitis, 4 (13.3%) patients had positive microbial culture. Among patients with septic meningitis, only four bacterial isolates were isolated by the microbial culture method, out of which Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most common bacterium and the prevalence was higher in autumn and winter. The most effective antibiotics were cotrimoxazole and vancomycin with a sensitivity of 100%; nonetheless, there was relatively high resistance to cloxacillin, erythromycin, and clindamycin. The number of white blood cells (WBCs), sugar, and protein in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in septic meningitis were compared with aseptic meningitis, and a significant difference was observed between the two groups. There was also a significant difference between gender and septic meningitis, and male patients were more likely to suffer from septic meningitis.

The prevalence of aseptic meningitis was higher than that of septic meningitis. Microbial tests are very effective in the correct diagnosis and treatment; however, the level of WBC, glucose, and protein in CSF can also be of great help in diagnosing different types of meningitis, especially septic meningitis.