Aetiological diagnostics of acute bacterial meningitis in children

Aetiology of bacterial meningitis (BM) can be confirmed by various microbiological methods. The aim of this study was to assess the role of microbiological methods used for confirmation of BM in children and determine the influence of the aetiological agent, patient age and antibacterial treatment on study results. Over a 5-y period (1998-2002) BM was diagnosed in 90 children at Vilnius University Centre for Paediatrics. Aetiology was confirmed by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood culture, microscopic CSF smear examination, CSF and blood latex agglutination test. CSF and blood cultures were positive in 53% and 39% of cases, respectively. Microscopic CSF smear examination was positive for 57% of the specimens. CSF latex agglutination was positive in 64% and blood in 47% of cases. Causative agent and received antibiotic therapy prior to investigation of obtained material affected some final microbiological results. However, no influence of patient age was found. Microbiological confirmation was achieved in 59% of cases using CSF and/or blood culture and in 78% of cases using all available methods in practice. The most common pathogens of bacterial meningitis were H. influenzae type b, N. meningitidis and S. pneumoniae.