Profiles of acute bacterial meningitis isolates in children in National Hospital, Abuja

BACKGROUND: Acute bacterial meningitis (ABM) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. It is an acute medical emergency that requires urgent rational antibiotic therapy, especially in neonates and young infants. Determining the pattern and susceptibility of isolates of ABM among children for prompt treatment of this important cause of mortality and morbidity is very important. This study determined the types and the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of ABM isolates among children at the National Hospital, Abuja. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective study carried out at the National Hospital Abuja (NHA), Nigeria. Laboratory data for a period of 3 years, January 2010-December 2013 were reviewed, and all bacterial isolates and their antibiotics sensitivity testing results for children aged 0-15 years, and other relevant information extracted and analyzed. Study center was the NHA. RESULTS: Twenty-eight bacterial pathogens were isolated from a total of 542 cerebrospinal specimens over the study period, giving a yield of 5.2%. The four most common pathogens isolated were Staphylococcus aureus (32.2%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (21.5%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (17.6%), and Escherichia coli (14.3%). Whereas, 28.6% of all the infections occurred in neonates alone, children 2 years and below had 85.7% of all the infections, with male preponderance. Isolates of S. aureus and S. pneumonia tested were both 100% susceptible to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and Cefuroxime; S. pneumoniae was equally sensitive to Ceftriaxone. K. pneumoniae was 100% sensitive to Imipenem, but 83% to ceftriaxone. 75% of the isolated E. coli strains were sensitive to ceftriaxone, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, and amikacin, 100% sensitive to imipenem. CONCLUSION: Meningitis in children as seen in the National hospital is almost equally caused by both Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms, predominantly by S. aureus, S. pneumoniae, K. pneumoniae, and E. coli. Available drugs remain active against these organisms.