[Bacterial meningitis in valencia: epidemiology and therapeutic results in 208 cases (author's transl)]

Review of 208 patients with bacterial meningitis, admitted from march 1, 1971 to march 1, 1976. Incidence peak was found in Winter (december to march). Etiologically N. meningitiditis, 39, 9%, was the mainly predominate germ. In 49% of the patients C.S.F. cultures were negative, significantly influenced by the previous treatment with antibiotics (P less than 0.001). Cure was obtained in 86.5% Convulsions, 12%, were the most frequent complication, followed by subdural effussion, 3.8%, and arthritis, 2.4%. Twenty patients died, 9.6%; fifteen of them with endotoxic shock. Definitive sequelae was present in the 3.8%, mainly hidrocephaly. A comparative study with other series in Spain is performed.