Bacteriological aspects of purulent meningitis in the Yopougon university hospital, 1995-1998.

Objective - To determine the frequency and the distribution of germs respon sible of purulent meningitis in the university hospital of Yopougon (Abidja n). Material and methods - Three hundred and sixty two cloudy or dodgy CSF reco rded out of four years, have been analysed by classic bacteriological metho ds advocate for meningitis. The CSF came, in 85,4% of the cases, from child ren between 0 to 15 years among which we noted 40% of subjects from one mon th to two years. 28,2% of the CSF were lymphocytic and 71,8% of the CSF rev ealed thereselves to be compatible with a purulent meningitis. Results - Two hundred and eighteen strains have been isolated; the identifi ed bacteria were S. pneumoniae (46%), H. influenzae b (29,2%), N. meningiti dis (14,1%) and Streptococcus group B (6,8%), a low percentage of enterobac teria (3,2%). Their distribution with regard to the age slices was in accor dance with the litterature data, S. pneumoniae being found in all the age s lices though it was more frequently found between one month and five years, the monthly distribution has not shown particular propensity except for H. influenzae b. Opposite the usual antibiotic such as penicillin, ampicillin , amoxicillin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, tetracyclin, strains presente d variable sensitivity levels. Conclusion - The surveillance of the principal bacteria of communal meningi tis especially S. pneumoniae Is Imperative to identify the different seroty pes circulating and follow up their sensitivity to effective and accessible antibiotics. (C) 2001 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.