EPIDEMIOLOGY OF MENINGOCOCCAL INFECTIONS IN CHILDREN IN MIDSOUTHERN PART OF TURKEY

59 patients were treated for meningococcal infections in Cukurova Univ ersity Faculty of Medicine, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 50.8% of patients were male, 33.9% were under two years of age and 61 % were under five. 78% of patients were admitted to hospital in winter and spring time. Meningococcal meningitis (MM) was present in 39% of patients on admission, however, meningococcemia in 27.1% and meningoco ccemia and meningococcic meningitis (Meningococcemia + MM) in 33.9%. F atality rate was 18.6% and no association was found between mortality and clinical type of disease (p > 0.05), but mortality ratio decreased with an increasing age (p < 0.01). No deaths occurred among the 12 pa tients who received IV penicillin treatment shortly before admitting t o hospital, on the other hand 11 of 47 patients (23.4%) without such a previous treatment died.