J Korean Neurol Assoc.  2000 Sep;18(5):556-561.

Acute Bacterial Meningitis: Causative Organisms, Clinical Characteristics and Prognosis

• Park DC
• Choi IS
• Heo JH
• Lee KW

Abstract

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of basic epidemiological information on bacterial meningitis in children and adults in Korea. Therefore, more research is needed to investigate the causative organisms, clinical manifestations, and prognosis in Korean children and adults.
METHODS
We analyzed retrospectively 148 medical records with final diagnosis of bacterial meningitis. The diagnosis of bacterial meningitis was based on culture-positive cases.
RESULTS
Out of a total 148 patients, 71 were children and 77 were adults. In the children with community acquired meningitis, infection-related meningitis was the most common predisposing factor (23.3%). In adults, otitis media was the most common (21.7%). There were more frequent seizures in children than adults (38.1%, 17.1%, p<0.05). In community-acquired meningitis, Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most common type. However, in nosocomial meningitis, gram-negative bacilli was the most common type. The prognostic factors associated with mortality rate in adults were old age (>50 years), seizure (p<0.05), and mental change (p<0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
Although a causative organism is not documented, we believe that our study will help to properly treat acute bacterial meningitis in children and adults regardless if it is community acquired or nosomial.

Keyword

Meningitis/Bacterial; Epidemiology; Cross infection

MeSH Terms

Adult
Causality
Child
Cross Infection
Diagnosis
Epidemiology
Humans
Korea
Medical Records
Meningitis
Meningitis, Bacterial*
Meningitis, Pneumococcal
Mortality
Otitis Media
Prognosis*
Retrospective Studies
Seizures