Etiological study of pyogenic meningitis in children by CIEP
Suvarna Devi, P.; Murthy, S.N.; Nathsharma, K.C.; Murthy, U.S.
Indian Pediatrics 19(4): 317-321
1982
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-6061 PMID: 7141641 Document Number: 188854
Seventy children under the age of 15 yr with a clinical diagnosis of pyogenic meningitis were studied. Of them, 47% were < 1 yr; the male to female ratio was 3.5:1.5. An obvious source of infection or predisposing factor was present in 31.4% of them. Of the cases, 67% received antibiotics prior to hospitalization. On Gram's staining, the causative organism was correctly identified in 15 cases; CSF culture was negative or grew contaminants in all cases except 1. CIEP was positive in 29 cases (41.5%). Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae were found in 13 cases each and meningococcus in 3 cases. Of the children showing positive results with CIEP, 65.5% received antibiotics prior to the test. CIEP was seemingly better than Gram's staining and CSF culture in the diagnosis of pyogenic meningitis in children; it was simple, quick, specific and reproducible and the results were less affected by prior antibiotic therapy.