Epidemiological evaluation of meningitis in hospitalized patients in shahid madani hospital of khorramabad

Background and Aim : Familiarity with the epidemiological, clinical and laboratory features of meningitis is important for rapid diagnosis and initiation of therapy. This study aimed at evaluating patients with meningitis based on their epidemiological, clinical and laboratory findings and comparing these variables between patients with septic and aseptic meningitis.Methods : This retrospective study included all the patients hospitalized in ۲۰۱۴ and ۲۰۱۵ and suspected for meningitis. The cases were compared for their epidemiological, clinical and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) laboratory aspects.Results : Among ۶۳ patients with meningitis, ۳۰ (۴۷.۶%) had septic meningitis and ۳۳ (۵۲.۴%) had aseptic meningitis. Of the ۳۰ patients with septic meningitis, ۴ patients (۱۳.۳%) had positive microbial culture. Most of the bacteria (۵۰%) isolated from the samples were pneumococcus. The means for CSF-WBC, CSF- glucose and CSF-protein in the septic meningitis compared with the aseptic meningitis patients were ۶۴.۸۱ ± ۶.۲۷ vs. ۲۸.۲۶± ۸.۹۰ cell/mm۳ of CSF, ۴۰.۹۵± ۹.۷۰ vs. ۷۲.۱۰± ۵ mg/dl and ۱۱۵.۲۳ ± ۱۳.۲۸ vs. ۶۱.۹۴±۹.۴۹ mg/dl, respectively (P<۰.۰۰۱). There was a difference between season (autumn and winter) and the risk of meningitis, and more septic meningitis was found in males.Conclusion : The prevalence of septic meningitis was higher than that of aseptic meningitis. Similarly, WBC, glucose and protein in CSF were helpful in differential diagnosis of septic meningitis vs. aseptic meningitis. Headache and fever are very important signs in diagnosis of meningitis.

Keywords:

septic meningitis , aseptic meningitis , microbial culture