Bacterial meningitis in the health sector of Virgen del Rocio, Spain

Background: The aim of this study was review the epidemiology of the bacterial meningitis in our area.

Methods: A retrospective study was carried out of all the cases of bacterial meningitis in children with ages between two months and fourteen years, admitted in our hospital between 1986 and 1997. The following variables we analyzed: Sex, age of the patient, yearly and monthly incidence, previous antibiotic therapy, length of hospital stay, and analytical data of blood and cerebrospinal fluid.

Results: In the 755 cases analyzed, the 50% correspond to bacterial meningitis, the 47.6% to viral or aseptic and 2.3% to tuberculous. In of the bacterial meningitis Neisseria meningitidis was isolated in 55.7% of cases, Haemophilus influenzae in 20.4%, Streptococcus pneumoniae in 5.5%, other bacterias in 3.4%, and in 14.5% was not isolated any bacteria. We are assisting to an increase of Neisseria meningitidis serotype C during the last years. Haemophilus influenzae represents a more percentage of bacterial meningitis that in prior years. In meningitis by Streptococcus pneumoniae we observe a clear association with risk factors in children older than 2 years.

Conclusions: Neisseria meningitidis is the main etiologic agent in children. The vaccination against Haemophilus influenzae serotype b and Neisseria meningitidis A and C can change the epidemiology in next years.