Bacteriological study of the cerebrospinal fluid(CSF) of children with meningitis in Baghdad

Abstract

The study included 92 samples of CSF taken from children aged 1day to 10 years with meningitis. The study was conducted in the hospitals of  Medical City in Baghdad. The samples were obtained by a specialized staff. Conventional direct Gram stain and culture tests were performed. The study sample were categorized into three group a (1day to 2 years), (2 to 6 years) and (6 to 10 years).

The results of the culture test showed that 62 samples out of 92 samples were free of bacteria while 30 samples contained bacteria (43% ). Among the positive culture group , 43% were gram positive bacteria and (57%) were Gram negative bacteria.

Escherichia coli  (43.4 %) was the predominant organism. The second bacterial agent is Staphylococcus aureus (20%) followed by Streptococcus pneumonia (13, 3%). The fourth bacterial isolates were Streptococcus agalactia (10%) and Neisseria meningitidis (10 %).The fifth bacterial agent was  Klebsiella pneumonia   (3.3%).

The most common age group for bacterial meningitis was the first age group (1 to 2 years old) with Escherichia coli being the main bacterium (40%).

http://dx.doi.org/10.25130/tjps.23.2018.101