Open AccessEpidemiological study of bacterial meningitis in Tunisian children, beyond neonatal age, using molecular methods: 2014-2017
Author(s) -
Sondès Haddad-Boubaker,
Marwa Lakhal,
Cyrine Fathallah,
Samar Mhimdi,
A. Bouafsoun,
A. Kechrid,
H. Smaoui
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
african health sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.391
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1729-0503
pISSN - 1680-6905
DOI - 10.4314/ahs.v20i3.14
Subject(s) - neisseria meningitidis , meningitis , streptococcus pneumoniae , medicine , epidemiology , haemophilus influenzae , serotype , vaccination , pediatrics , bacterial meningitis , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , virology , antibiotics , biology , bacteria , genetics
Background: Since the 1990s, the epidemiology of bacterial meningitis worldwide has changed thanks to vaccination. In Tunisia, the main causative pathogens were Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis and Haemophilus influenzae serotype b (Hib). Only Hib vaccination was available during our study period.
Objectives: We performed a laboratory case report based-study of suspected bacterial meningitis in Northern Tunisia from January 2014 to June 2017.
Methods: CSF samples obtained from children beyond neonatal age with suspicion of meningitis were tested by two real time PCRs, targeting pneumococcus, meningococcus and Hib, and conventional methods.
Results: Using real-time PCR, 63 were positive including ten supplementary cases compared to conventional methods. A general decrease of bacterial meningitis cases was demonstrated comparing to previous data. Pneumococcus was predominant (69.84%) followed by meningococcus (28.57%) and Hib (1.59%). The main serotypes were 14, 19F, 6B and 23F for pneumococcus and serogroup B for meningococcus. Most cases occurred during cold season and children under one year were the most affect- ed by bacterial meningitis.
Conclusion: Our study suggests the predominance of pneumococcal cases. It may provide valuable data on meningitis epidemiology before the introduction of pneumococcal vaccine, which may be useful for future evaluation.
Keywords: Bacterial meningitis; children; Tunisia; PCR.