Mortality and morbidity of 118 cases of acute pyogenic meningitis in paediatrics age group

Abstract

One hundred eighteen cases of acute pyogenic meningitis were admitted in the department of paediatrics Liaquat Medical college Hospitals Jamshoro/Hydrabad during one year period with a prevalence of 1.57% of total admissions. Thirty one were neonates and 87 were of post neonatal age group. Gram negative micro-organisms responsible for (66/118) 55.93% of cases with high fatality rate, whereas E.coli was responsible 13/31 (41.93%) in neonates with fatality rate of 58.33% (7/12). In post neonatal period streptococcus pneumoniae responsible for 31/878 cases with fatality rate of 44% ( 11/25 ), and H.influenzae prevalence was 17.24% with fatality rate of 28% (7/25) and Niseria meningitidis was responsible for 28.73% (25/87) cases with fatality rate of 8% (2/25). The overall fatality rate ( mortality + morbidity ) was 31.35% (37/118) various factors responsible for fatality are poor nutritional status, delay in referring the cases and to start of optimal therapy, lack of prompt laboratory aids for identifi cation and sensitivity of micro-organisms, the modified clinical pictures as a result of inadequate treatment before admission.