MENINGITIS IN HONG-KONG CHILDREN, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE INFREQUENCY OF HAEMOPHILUS AND MENINGOCOCCAL INFECTION

Objective: To study the epidemiologic and aetiologic features of menin gitis in children in Hong Kong. Methodology: A retrospective study of 85 children resident in the New Territory East region of Hong Kong adm itted to a teaching Hospital because of meningitis during a 9 year per iod. Results: Mycobacterium tuberculosis was the most common aetiologi cal agent accounting for 13 cases (15.3%). Other bacteria accounted fo r 41 cases (48%); among these one fifth were caused by Haemophilus inf luenzae type b. The overall admission rates for tuberculous meningitis in Chinese children were 0.76/100000 (95% CI 0.25-1.78) and 0.42/1000 00 (Cl 0.19-0.8) per year, respectively, for under 5 year olds and und er 15 year olds. The overall annual incidence rates of bacterial menin gitis other than tuberculous were 5.2/100000 (Cl 3.72-7.43) and 1.6/10 0000 (Cl 1.14-2.29) for Chinese children under 5 years and under 15 ye ars, respectively. The annual incidence of H. influenzae meningitis in Chinese children under 5 years old was low al 1.1/100000 (0.43-2.2). All five cases of meningococcal meningitis were in Vietnamese children (under 5 years of age incidence: 13.0/100000 per year, Cl 4.2-30.3). There were no cases of meningococcal meningitis in Chinese children du ring the 9 year period. Conclusion: M. tuberculosis was the most commo n aetiological agent of meningitis in Hong Kong children. The incidenc e of haemophilus or meningococcal meningitis was very low.