BACTERIAL-MENINGITIS IN JOHANNESBURG 1980-1982

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 66  (18) , 677-679
Abstract
A 2 yr retrospective study of etiology, age distribution, seasonal variation and antimicrobial sensitivity patterns of bacteria isolated from patients with meningitis in 5 Johannesburg [South Africa] hospitals for White, Black, Colored and Asian patients was performed. Neisseria meningitidis was isolated most frequently, followed by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenza, Escherichia coli and Streptococcus group B. In the Black population 73% of the meningococcal infections occurred in patients over 3 yr of age, and the majority of these infections were caused by serogroup A organisms. Virtually all (93%) of the H. influenzae infections occurred in children of < 3 yr of age. Of the isolates tested, 16% of the meningococci, 4.5% of the H. influenzae and 47% of the pneumococci were resistant to sulfadiazine, ampicillin and penicillin, respectively.