Pathogenic Bacteria Associated with Meningitis in Patients Attending Omdurman Emergency Pediatrics Hospital; Khartoum State

Abstract

Bacterial meningitis constitute public health problem. Haemophilus influenzae type b, Neisseria meningitidis, and Streptococcus pneumoniae were the main causative agents for bacterial meningitis worldwide. The objective of this study was to detect pathogenic bacteria associated with meningitis among Sudanese children. Cerebrospinal fluid specimens were collected from patients suspected to have meningitis, the specimens collected by lumbar puncture and examined macroscopically for appearance, then examined microscopically for white blood cells count, measuring of protein and glucose. Bacterial meningitis identified by phenotypic characterization including microscopic examination, culturing techniques and biochemical reactions were carried out to isolate and identify the causative bacterial agents following standard procedures. The identified isolates were also subjected to antibiotic susceptibility testing to determine a curative medicine for treatment of meningitis. From 100 CSF samples the result of bacterial meningitis obtained from 24 (24%). The isolated bacteria were S. pneumoniae 54.2 %, N. meningitidis 20.8 %, P. aeroginosa 12.5 %, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus 8.3 % and H. influenzae 4.2 %. Detection of tuberculous meningitis using Ziehl- Neelsen stain for direct smears did not show any acid fast bacilli. The result of antimicrobial susceptibility showed that all the isolates were susceptible to cefotaxime, norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin, and resistant to gentamycin and amoxicillin. (60%) of S. pneumoniae isolates were sensitive to ‫‪penicillin and (70%) were sensitive to chloramphenicol. All MRSA isolates‬‬ ‫.‪were sensitive to vancomycin‬‬ ‫‪The study concluded that S. pneumoniae and N. meningitidis were the‬‬ ‫.‪dominant causative agent of bacterial meningitis on children‬‬