Surveillance of bacterial meningitis in the country of Georgia, 2006-2010

J Community Health. 2013 Aug;38(4):724-6. doi: 10.1007/s10900-013-9670-4.

Abstract

Bacterial meningitis remains important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in developing countries. This study analyzed the data from sentinel surveillance for bacterial meningitis among children <5 years of age hospitalized in largest children's hospital in Tbilisi, capital of Georgia and adult patients hospitalized in infectious diseases hospital during 2006-2010 with suspected bacterial meningitis. The surveillance is conducted by National Center for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDCPH). The number of patients with identified organism was 127 (19 %). In the subsample of patients with laboratory confirmed bacterial meningitis Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most frequently isolated organism (67 cases, 52.8 %), followed by. influenza (17 cases, 13.4 %) and Neisseria meningitidis (16 cases, 12.6 %). The number of patients with suspected TB meningitis was 27 (21.3 %). The overall case fatality rate in the subgroup of patients with identified organism was 12.3 %. The highest mortality was observed among TB patients (22.2 %) with 14.3 % mortality for N. meningitidis and 10.3 % for S. pneumoniae. No lethal outcome was observed among patients with Haemophilus influenzae.

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Georgia (Republic) / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Meningitis, Bacterial / epidemiology*
  • Meningitis, Bacterial / mortality
  • Meningitis, Haemophilus / epidemiology
  • Meningitis, Haemophilus / mortality
  • Meningitis, Meningococcal / epidemiology
  • Meningitis, Meningococcal / mortality
  • Sentinel Surveillance
  • Streptococcal Infections / epidemiology
  • Streptococcal Infections / mortality
  • Tuberculosis, Meningeal / epidemiology
  • Tuberculosis, Meningeal / mortality