التهاب السحايا عند الأطفال دراسة وبائية – سريرية – مخبرية

Despite the developments in diagnosis and treatment, childhood meningitis is still a major cause of neurological disabilities and death. The aim was to study the epidemics of this disease, the most common clinical characteristics, and to isolate the caused bacteria by cerebrospinal fluid analysis. The study was conducted during the period of 1 May 2005 to 31 April 2006. We found 90 cases of childhood meningitis admitted to Department of Pediatrics, Al-Assad University Hospital, Lattakia, meeting the definition of the suspected case according WHO (World Health Organization). Diagnosis was made by CSF study (cytology, biochemistry, Gram stain and culture). Results showed 25,81 % were bacterial, 74,19 % non-bacterial (viral) meningitis. Fever was 100 % in all types of meningitis, vomiting 100 % in bacterial, 52 % in viral, neck rigidity 62,5 % in bacterial, 30,43 % in viral. We found 8 patients of bacterial meningitis had been vaccinated against haemophillous influenza, and isolated meningiococci in one case, and pneumococci in another; we did not isolate the bacteria in 4 cases, 3 of which had taken antibiotics and one had not. In conclusion, The vaccination is still an effective method for prevention, especially when pneumococci vaccine is added to the program, and meningiococci vaccine is used at an early age.