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[Trends in pediatric bacterial meningitis in Japan (2003-2004)]

Keisuke Sunakawa1, Masato Nonoyama, Tomohiro Ooishi

  • 1Department of Infectious Diseases, Kitasato University School of Medicine.

Kansenshogaku Zasshi. the Journal of the Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases
|March 8, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric bacterial meningitis in Japan affects 1.13-1.6 per 1000 hospitalized children annually. Drug-resistant strains of Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae are common, necessitating specific antibiotic strategies based on age.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Epidemiology
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Bacterial meningitis remains a significant cause of pediatric morbidity and mortality.
  • Understanding the etiological agents and their resistance patterns is crucial for effective treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the epidemiology of pediatric bacterial meningitis in Japan from 2003-2004.
  • To identify common pathogens, their age-specific distribution, and antimicrobial susceptibility.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective survey of pediatric bacterial meningitis cases.
  • Analysis of pathogen identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing data.

Main Results:

  • 233 cases were identified, with the highest incidence in infants under one year.
  • Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae were the most prevalent pathogens.
  • High rates of drug resistance were observed in H. influenzae (65.0%) and S. pneumoniae (83.0%) isolates in 2004.

Conclusions:

  • Age-specific pathogen distribution guides initial antibiotic choices.
  • Emerging antimicrobial resistance necessitates careful selection of treatments, with combination therapies recommended for different age groups.

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