Resumen

DICKINSON MENESES, Félix Orlando  y  RODRIGUEZ ORTEGA, Misladys. Meningitis in breast-fed infants caused by Group B ß-hemolytic streptococcus. Rev Cubana Pediatr [online]. 2013, vol.85, n.1, pp.66-75. ISSN 0034-7531.

Introduction: group B ß-hemolytic streptococcus is a common cause of sepsis and neonatal death, Objective: to characterize the behavior of the Group B ß-hemolytic streptococcus meningitis in Cuba. Methods: an observational, descriptive and analytical study was performed on 57 patients suffering meningitis caused by Group B ß-hemolytic streptococcus, with the onset of symptoms ranging from January 1st 1998 to December 2010. The risk was estimated according to the year of occurrence, the age, the province and the municipality as well as the fatality rate and the association of delay in medical diagnosis and in admission to the hospital and death. Results: the incidence rate of the whole period was 0.03 per 1 000 livebirths and the fatality rate amounted to 31.58 %. The propo9rtion of cases between males and females was very similar (50.9 % and 49.1 % respectively). The infants aged younger than 3 months were more affected by the disease (38 cases) and they accounted for 100 % of those children who died (18 cases). The most risky provinces were Pinar del Rio (9.09 per 1 000 livebirths) and Santiago de Cuba (0.08 per 1 000 livebirths). The municipality with the highest risk index was San Luis in Santiago de Cuba (0.31 per 1 000 livebirhts). The average length of time for medical diagnosis was 17 hours and for admission to the hospital was 5 hours. No association was found between delay in medical diagnosis (RR= 0.66) and in admission to the hospital (RR= 1.22) and death occurrence. Conclusions: Group B ß-hemolytic streptococcus is a significant preventable cause of meningitis and neonatal death.

Palabras clave : meningitis; Group B ß-hemolytic streptococcus; Streptococcus agalactiae; neonates; breast-fed babies; epidemiology.

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