Abstract

CHAVEZ GONZALEZ, Niuvis; SANCHEZ PEREZ, Yusleidys  and  CHAVEZ GONZALEZ, Leyanis. Bacterial meningoencephalitis affecting children under 15 years of age. Rev Cubana Pediatr [online]. 2014, vol.86, n.1, pp.41-50. ISSN 0034-7531.

Introduction: bacterial meningoencephalitis is a universal disease affecting individual of all ages, but particularly the children. Objective: to identify the clinical and microbiological characteristics of the bacterial meningoencephalitis. Methods: a retrospective and descriptive study was conducted in children aged less than 15 years, who were admitted to the pediatric intensive care service of "Luis Angel Milanes Tamayo" pediatric hospital located in Bayamo, Gramma province, in the period of January 1st 2008 to December 31st 2012. The universe of study was 22 patients discharged from hospital after diagnosis of bacterial meningoencephalitis, and the sample was composed by 18 cases who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: the one to four years age group predominated, accounting for 50 % and malnutrition was present in 5 of the studied cases. The mean time elapsed from the starting of symptoms to the diagnosis, and at the beginning of the medical therapy was ±3 days (SD: 1.129); the non-specific symptoms and the endocranial hypertension were observed in 38.9 and 88.8 %, respectively. Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most frequently isolated germ in the cerebrospinal fluid study, and the cerebral edema was the commonest complication. Conclusions: the studied disease affected the smaller ages, in which the endocranial hypertension symptoms and raised cellularity predominated, and the time elapsed from the beginning of the symptoms to the diagnosis and the medical treatment was short.

Keywords : meningoencephalitis; endocranial hypertension; cerebral edema; cerebrospinal fluid.

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