Background: The epidemiology of bacterial meningitis varies in different areas, age groups,
and times. To know the trend of neonatal and childhood bacterial meningitis in northern
Taiwan, we performed this 29-year-long assessment.
Methods: Eligible patients were aged 18 years or younger, hospitalized in Mackay Memorial
Hospital between 1984 and 2012, and proven by positive cerebrospinal fluid bacterial cultures.
Analysis included the patient numbers and pathogens in different age groups, periods, complications,
and outcomes.
Results: Males were predominant in all the age groups through the years. Almost half of the
patients were in the neonatal period. Patient numbers went up in the early study period
and declined after 1993e1997. Group B Streptococcus and Escherichia coli were the most common
pathogens in neonates, whereas in childhood were Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus
influenzae type b (Hib). Patient numbers of Group B Streptococcus,
S. pneumoniae, and Hib meningitis declined in the late study period, but E. coli meningitis
increased. The mortality rate decreased but sequela rate increased. Among the four most common
pathogens, S. pneumoniae had the worst outcome and had highest mortality rate. All Hib
meningitis patients survived, but their sequela rate was the highest