Meningitis in children older than one month of age at Benghazi Children Hospital, 2017- 2018

Aim: This study is designed to analyze the clinical features and diagnosis of meningitis in children older than one month. Methods: A retrospective study ,using files of 160 patients diagnosed with meningitis who were admitted at Benghazi Children Hospital during period of two years(1st Jan 2017 to end of December2018) .Data collected were demographic character ,symptoms and signs ,laboratory analysis include blood for ESR,CRP,WBCS , lumber puncture analysis and radiological tests  Results : Mean age of cases was 22.8 months(41.9) , and most of cases less than one and half years(63%),male to female ratio was (1.3:1).Meningitis was more common in summer season ,and the most frequent presentation were fever(93%),poor feeding(70%), irritability(66%).However ,signs of meningitis were not present among 70% of  cases. Most CSF TLC count (60%) range from 5-100 cells/mm3, with 75% lymphocyte. 64% of CSF had normal protein and sugar.  93% of CSF cultures showed negative growth. Ultrasound was good and effective method helped in diagnosis of meningitis  Conclusions: There is no specific symptoms and signs for meningitis ,so this makes the diagnosis  a challenging task .Most of CSF culture shows no growth and mortality rate is low (3%). Recommendations: Education of mothers about the impact of use antibiotic without prescription from doctors and   the benefit of quick transfer of CSF samples to laboratory because most of bacteria can die before evaluation of samples under microscope Improvement of Laboratory services to detect the type of meningitis e.g latex agglutination virology serology and D-glucan. Further study is recommended in this field for evaluation of delayed complication and it is management