BACTERIAL ISOLATES IN MENINGITIS

A retrospective study of the pattern of bacterial isolates from cases of suspected meningitis at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospita ls Complex (OAUTHC), lle-lfe between 1980-87 revealed that 103 (16.7%) of all the 615 cerebrospinal fluids (CSF) examined were confirmed by culture. Twelve different micro-organisms were encountered of which si x predominated: Streptococcus pneumoniae (30.1%), Staphylococcus aureu s (13.6%), Paracolon and Neisseria meningitidis type C (12.6% each) an d Pseudomonas aeruginosa (7.8%). The incidence of meningitis was highe r in males than females. The bacterial isolates were comparatively res istant to ampicillin, and penicillin G on in vitro testing. About 23.1 % of N. meningitidis isolates were surprisingly resistant to penicilli n G, suggesting caution in employing penicillin G in treating cases of meningitis caused by this organism.