Different Incidences of Acute Bacterial Meningitis in Children of Central Punjab in Pakistan

Abstract

Background: Acute Bacterial Meningitis (ABM) is a serious public health problem demanding early diagnosis, effective treatment, prevention, and control. Approximately 70 percent of meningitis cases occur in children under the age of 5 and in adults over the age of 60. Objective: To evaluate the different incidences of Acute bacterial meningitis in children of Pakistan. Setting: different hospitals in central Punjab, Pakistan. Material and methods: It's a retrospective study of case files of admitted children in hospitals of different cities of Pakistan. In this study, we evaluated 135 children's for symptoms of meningitis, diagnosis tests, therapy and also some co-morbid diseases related to ABM. Microsoft excel version 2013 was used for statistical analysis. Main outcome measures: Prevalence of Acute bacterial meningitis in different age groups of children, diagnostic tests, and complications related to acute bacterial meningitis are main findings. Results and discussion: Prevalence of ABM was more in neonates than others. For diagnosis meningitis sign test performed on most patients was not much information, so we can't diagnose complications relating to ABM. Unsatisfactory empirical therapy was given to patients for their treatment. Due to incomplete laboratory identification test, some co-morbid diseases and complications were also observed. There was the total lack of mode of preventions for ABM. Conclusion: It concluded that ABM is serious, death causing disease having the high prevalence in neonates. Furthermore improper diagnosis and non-standard management and treatment cause the disease to be an economic and social burden on the society by increasing long term complications and increase death rate in children.