Bacterial isolates from cerebrospinal fluid of children with suspected acute meningitis in a Nigerian Tertiary Hospital

Abstract

Aims and Objectives: To determine the common aetiolog of acute bacterial meningitis in children and their antibiotic susceptibility pattern. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study with a review of cerebrospinal fluid culture reports of paediatric patients aged 0-15 years, suspected of acute meningitis in the Medical Microbiology Department of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria from October 2006 to October 2009 from October 2006 to October 2009. Results: A positive culture bacterial isolation rate of 3.3% (n=50/1500) with prevalence of Streptococcus pneumoniae (24%), Neisseria meningitidis(22%), Escherichia coli(16%), Haemophilus influenzae (14%), Group B streptococci(8%) and Enterococci(8%) which were susceptible to ceftriaxone(96%), cefotaxime(95%) and ciprofloxacin(93%) across the bacterial isolates. Neonates were 55% (n=6.8/12.4) most at risk. Conclusion: Neonates are the most at risk of acute bacterial meningitis. In the absence of antibiotic susceptibility report, ceftriaxone should be considered as a first choice reliable antibiotic for empirical treatment of meningitis in children, in this environment.

Keywords

• cerebrospinal fluid cultures
• bacterial isolates
• antibiotic susceptibility
• children
• nigeria
• africa