DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2019.v07i02.065

Pages: 740-744

We conducted an observational study in the Paediatrics department of Dhaka Shishu (Children) Hospital Dhaka, Bangladesh during the period from December 2012 to May 2013. Our aim was to document laboratory findings of pyogenic meningitis in children under 5 years. We enrolled study participants who were clinically suspected of pyogenic meningitis and aged less than 5 years and admitted in the selected hospital. All the data were collected and recorded systematically in a questionnaire and entered into computer software SPSS (Statistical package for social sciences) and analyzed with graphs and tables. Our study measured outcome mainly, results of CSF cell count, Gram stain, Culture, LAT and Blood culture. A total of 100 cases of suspected meningitis in the age group below 5 years enrolled in the study based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Majority of the patients belonged to ≤12 months. Male to female ratio was 1.6:1. The most common clinical presentation was fever (100.0%) with median duration of 2 days. Ninety six patients had convulsion and the median duration of continuation of convulsion was 1 day. Thirty eight patients had vomiting and median duration of continuation of vomiting was 1 day. A total of 100 clinically suspected cases of acute bacterial meningitis, laboratory confirmed cases were 36(36.0%), out of which 14(38.9%) cases were CSF culture positive, 10(27.8%) were Gram stain positive and 36(36.0%) were Latex agglutination test positive In the conclusion, we can say Pyogenic meningitis is more common during infancy and is more common in males. Fever, convulsion, vomiting and lethargy were the commonest symptoms. CSF culture is the ‘Gold standard’ and positive in 38.9% cases, but Latex agglutination test was 100.0% sensitive for detection of Antigen in CSF. Laboratory finding can help to the practitioners to treat children with Pyogenic Meningitis more effectively.