Evaluation of Children with Acute Bacterial Meningitis Treated in Two Separate Time Periods in Turkey

Objective: Bacterial meningitis is a medical emergency. The mortality rate in untreated bacterial meningitis is 100%. The aim of the present study was to determine the changes in acute bacterial meningitis epidemiology, treatment options and complication rates in Turkey over the years by evaluating acute bacterial meningitis treated in two different centers before and after the introduction of the conjugate vaccines against Haemophilus influenzae type b and Streptococcus pneumoniae into the National Immunization Program in Turkey. Material and Methods: The study is a retrospective study. The study included 54 patients who were followed up for the diagnosis of acute bacterial meningitis at the Infectious Diseases Clinic of University of Health Sciences, Ankara Doctor Sami Ulus Children and Gynecology-Obstetrics Training and Research Hospital (first center) between September 1, 1995 and July 31, 1996 and 17 patients who were followed up with the same diagnosis at the Infectious Disease Clinic of University of Health Sciences, Ankara Child Health and Diseases Hematology Oncology Training and Research Hospital (second center) between February 1, 2012 and March 16, 2016. Bacterial meningitis diagnosis was done according to the World Health Organization criteria.