J Korean Pediatr Soc.  2003 Nov;46(11):1085-1088.

Causative Organisms in Children with Bacterial Meningitis(1992-2002)

• Kim HJ
• Lee JW
• Lee KY
• Lee HS
• Hong JH
• Hahn SH
• Whang KT

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was performed to assess the difference of organisms causing bacterial meningitis according to time.
METHODS
We analyzed retrospectively 40 medical records of bacteriologically proven meningitis from 1992 to 2002. We divided them into two groups; neonate's group(14 cases), and children's group(26 cases). The results of the neonate's group were compared with those of previously reported articles in Korea, in 1970s-1980s. The causative agents of the children's group were analyzed according to the stage before and after the introduction of H. influenza type b(Hib) vaccine.
RESULTS
In neonates, Group B streptococci(GBS) was the most common cause of bacterial meningitis. There was a trend in Korea that major causative agents of neonatal bacterial meningitis have changed from gram negative bacteria including E. coli to gram positive bacteria including GBS. In children, H. influenzae was isolated in six out of 11 cases(55%) in 1992-95, before the introduction of Hib vaccine, while two out of seven(29%) were isolated in 1999-2002, after the introduction of the Hib vaccine.
CONCLUSION
Our study showed that the most common agent of neonatal bacterial meningitis was GBS. There was a trend that after the introduction of Hib vaccine, the incidence of H. influenza meningitis decreased in children.

Keyword

Bacterial meningitis; H. influenzae type b vaccine; Neonate; Children

MeSH Terms

Child*
Gram-Negative Bacteria
Gram-Positive Bacteria
Haemophilus influenzae type b
Humans
Incidence
Infant, Newborn
Influenza, Human
Korea
Medical Records
Meningitis
Meningitis, Bacterial
Retrospective Studies