Bacterial meningitis in children <2 years of age in a tertiary care hospital in South India: an assessment of clinical and laboratory features

Predictive role of PAR and LAR in refractory suppurative meningitis in infants

BACKGROUND

Meningitis can be caused by a variety of pathogenic microorganisms, which can lead to higher mortality and disability rates. However, the clinical manifestations of suppurative meningitis are often atypical in infants and young children, which makes early clinical diagnosis difficult.PAR and LAR are considered as a novel inflammatory biomarker and have been applied in tumors, IgA nephropathy, sepsis.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the application of platelet/albumin (PAR) and lactate dehydrogenase/albumin (LAR) in refractory suppurative meningitis in infants.

METHODS

The relevant clinical data of 107 children with suppurative meningitis were retrospectively analyzed, and were divided into common group (82 cases) and refractory group (25 cases) according to the severity of the disease according to the relevant clinical consensus. The relevant clinical data and laboratory examination of the children in the two groups were compared. The diagnostic value of PAR and LAR in children with refractory suppurative meningitis was analyzed and multivariate Logistic regression analysis was performed.

RESULT

The PAR of children with suppurative meningitis in refractory group was lower than that in common group (P < 0.05), while LAR was higher than that in common group (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that LAR and cerebrospinal fluid glucose ≤ 1.5mmo/L were risk factors for poor prognosis (OR > 1, P < 0.05). PAR was a protective factor (OR < 1, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

PAR and LAR can be used for early diagnosis of refractory suppurative meningitis in children as protective and risk factors, respectively.

Cerebrospinal Fluid Leucine-Rich Alpha-2 Glycoprotein (LRG) Levels in Children with Acute Bacterial Meningitis

This study evaluated the diagnostic role of cerebrospinal fluid leucine-rich alpha-2 glycoprotein (CSF LRG) concentration in children with acute bacterial meningitis, and its role in differentiation from aseptic meningitis. CSF LRG concentration was measured by ELISA Kit of 50 children with bacterial meningitis, 16 aseptic meningitis, and 20 children with normal CSF; control. CSF LRG was significantly elevated (p < 0.001) in bacterial meningitis with a sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of 96%, 100%, 100%, and 90.9%, respectively at a cutoff of 110.0 ng/mL, based on ROC curve. At the same cutoff value, CSF LRG has sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of 96%, 75%, 92.3%, and 85.7%, respectively in differentiating bacterial from aseptic meningitis. However, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV at 139.9 ng/mL for differentiating between definite and probable bacterial meningitis were 88%, 75%, 79.1%, and 84.9%, respectively. CSF LRG should be used as a diagnostic biomarker for bacterial meningitis.

Meningococcal Disease Burden in India: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective

To perform systematic review and meta-analysis of meningococcal disease burden in India.

Methods

We searched publications on meningococcal disease in India between 1996 and 2020 using PubMed and Google Scholar. Prevalence (proportion) of Meningococcal meningitis and Case-fatality ratio (CFR) were pooled using random effects model. Other outcomes were pooled qualitatively.

Results

The prevalence of Meningococcal meningitis in epidemic and endemic conditions was 12.1% (95% CI: 5.2-21.4) and 0.76% (95% CI: 0.3-1.4), respectively, with a CFR of 12.8% (95% CI: 6.8-20.4) in epidemic settings; N. meningitis caused 3.2% (95% CI: 1.6-5.3) of Acute Bacterial Meningitis (ABM) cases in endemic settings. The disease appeared in infants, adolescents, and adults with Serogroup A prevalence. Treatment and prophylaxis were limited to antibiotics despite increased resistance.

Conclusion

The study reveals epidemic and endemic presence of the disease in India with high fatality and serogroup A prevalence. Further monitoring and immunization are required to prevent outbreaks.

Bulging fontanelle in febrile infants as a predictor of bacterial meningitis

It is common practice to perform a lumbar puncture in infants presenting with fever and a bulging fontanelle in order to rule out bacterial meningitis. However, most of these infants have benign, self-limiting diseases. The objective was to determine whether there is an association between bulging fontanelle and bacterial meningitis in febrile infants. This retrospective cohort study included febrile children with a bulging fontanelle who underwent lumbar puncture at Meir Medical Center from 2005 through 2015. A total of 764 children ages 2-18 months underwent lumbar puncture during the study period. Among them, 304 had a bulging fontanelle and fever on evaluation and cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis was found in 115 (37.8%), including 1 case of bacterial meningitis (0.3%). None of the infants described on admission as appearing well on presentation was found to have bacterial meningitis. Of the 764 children who underwent lumbar puncture, 10 infants were diagnosed with bacterial meningitis, and only one (10%) presented with a bulging fontanelle.Conclusion: The finding of a bulging fontanelle has very low sensitivity and specificity for bacterial meningitis. Most causes of a bulging fontanelle in febrile infants are self-limiting diseases. The routine approach of performing a lumbar puncture in febrile infants with a bulging fontanelle should be reconsidered. What is Known: • It is common to perform a lumbar puncture in febrile infants with a bulging fontanelle, to rule out bacterial meningitis. • However, there are only few researches regarding the relationship between bulging fontanelle and bacterial meningitis. What is New: • The finding of a bulging fontanelle has very low sensitivity and specificity for bacterial meningitis • The need for routine lumbar puncture in these cases should be reconsidered.

Clinical Profile and Outcome of Children with Acute Central Nervous System Infection in Kerala, India

Background and aims: Infection of the central nervous system is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in children. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical profile and outcome of children aged 1 month to 15 years admitted with acute central nervous system infection between 2008 and 2020 in the Department of Pediatrics, Ananthapuri Hospitals and Research Institute, Thiruvananthapuram, India. Materials and methods: This was a case record based retrospective study. Results: Of 62 children, 44 had meningitis and 18 had encephalitis. Most patients were in the age group 1-5 years old and males were the predominant sex (70.96%). Eighteen patients with meningitis had a clinical triad of fever, headache, and vomiting, while only three with encephalitis experienced this. Seizures and altered sensorium were seen significantly more in children with encephalitis. Cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis was seen in significantly more patients with meningitis compared with patients with encephalitis. Aetiology for meningitis included pneumococcus, Orientia tsutsugamushi (scrub typhus), meningococcus, and Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection. Causes of encephalitis included enterovirus, mumps virus, herpes simplex virus, dengue virus, and H1N1 influenza virus infection. Paediatric intensive care unit admission was more common for patients with encephalitis. One child with pneumococcal meningitis and another with dengue encephalitis died. Seizures were the most common sequelae. Conclusion: Typical clinical features were not present in most patients with meningitis; therefore, a high index of suspicion is needed for early diagnosis. Exact aetiologies could not be identified in most of the patients. Pneumococcus, scrub typhus, and meningococcus were the aetiological agents identified for meningitis. Encephalitis was attributed to dengue virus, herpes simplex virus, enterovirus, mumps virus, and H1N1 influenza virus infection.

A Comprehensive Review of Meningococcal Disease Burden in India

INTRODUCTION

Meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis has a high case fatality rate. Of 12 distinct serogroups, A, B, C, W-135 (W) and Y cause the majority of infections. The meningococcal disease burden and epidemiology in India are not reliably known. Hence, we performed a narrative review with a systematically conducted search to summarize information on meningococcal disease burden and epidemiology and vaccination recommendations for meningococcal disease in India.

METHODS

A search of Medline and Embase databases was undertaken to identify relevant publications published in the last 25 years.

RESULTS

Results from 32 original publications, 11 of which were case reports, suggest a significant burden of meningococcal disease and related complications. Meningococcal disease is increasingly reported among adolescents and adults, and large outbreaks have been reported in this population. Meningococcal disease in India is caused almost exclusively by serogroup A; serogroups B, C, W and Y have also been documented. Meningococcal disease burden data remain unreliable because of limited disease surveillance, insufficient laboratory capacity, misdiagnosis and prevalence of extensive antibiotic use in India. Lack of access to healthcare also increases under-reporting, thus bringing the reliability of the data into question. Conjugate meningococcal vaccines are being used for disease prevention by national governments and immunization programs globally. In India, meningococcal vaccination is recommended only for certain high-risk groups, during outbreaks and for international travelers such as Hajj pilgrims and students pursuing studies abroad.

CONCLUSION

Meningococcal disease is prevalent in India but remains grossly underestimated and under-reported. Available literature largely presents outbreak data related to serogroup A disease; however, non-A serogroup disease cases have been reported. Reliable epidemiologic data are urgently needed to inform the true burden of endemic disease. Further research into the significance of meningococcal disease burden can be used to improve public health policy in India. Fig. 1 Plain language summary.

Epidemiology of central nervous system infectious diseases: a meta-analysis and systematic review with implications for neurosurgeons worldwide

OBJECTIVE

Central nervous system (CNS) infections cause significant morbidity and mortality and often require neurosurgical intervention for proper diagnosis and treatment. However, neither the international burden of CNS infection, nor the current capacity of the neurosurgical workforce to treat these diseases is well characterized. The objective of this study was to elucidate the global incidence of surgically relevant CNS infection, highlighting geographic areas for targeted improvement in neurosurgical capacity.

METHODS

A systematic literature review and meta-analysis were performed to capture studies published between 1990 and 2016. PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched using variations of terms relating to CNS infection and epidemiology (incidence, prevalence, burden, case fatality, etc.). To deliver a geographic breakdown of disease, results were pooled using the random-effects model and stratified by WHO region and national income status for the different CNS infection types.

RESULTS

The search yielded 10,906 studies, 154 of which were used in the final qualitative analysis. A meta-analysis was performed to compute disease incidence by using data extracted from 71 of the 154 studies. The remaining 83 studies were excluded from the quantitative analysis because they did not report incidence. A total of 508,078 cases of CNS infections across all studies were included, with a total sample size of 130,681,681 individuals. Mean patient age was 35.8 years (range: newborn to 95 years), and the male/female ratio was 1:1.74. Among the 71 studies with incidence data, 39 were based in high-income countries, 25 in middle-income countries, and 7 in low-income countries. The pooled incidence of studied CNS infections was consistently highest in low-income countries, followed by middle- and then high-income countries. Regarding WHO regions, Africa had the highest pooled incidence of bacterial meningitis (65 cases/100,000 people), neurocysticercosis (650/100,000), and tuberculous spondylodiscitis (55/100,000), whereas Southeast Asia had the highest pooled incidence of intracranial abscess (49/100,000), and Europe had the highest pooled incidence of nontuberculous vertebral spondylodiscitis (5/100,000). Overall, few articles reported data on deaths associated with infection. The limited case fatality data revealed the highest case fatality for tuberculous meningitis/spondylodiscitis (21.1%) and the lowest for neurocysticercosis (5.5%). In all five disease categories, funnel plots assessing for publication bias were asymmetrical and suggested that the results may underestimate the incidence of disease.

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review and meta-analysis approximates the global incidence of neurosurgically relevant infectious diseases. These results underscore the disproportionate burden of CNS infections in the developing world, where there is a tremendous demand to provide training and resources for high-quality neurosurgical care.

Impact of the introduction of the Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine in an urban setting in southern India

INTRODUCTION

Haemophilus influenzae type b was the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in infants and children below the age of two years prior to the introduction of H. influenzae type b conjugate vaccines. In December 2011, the Indian government introduced H. influenzae b vaccine in the state of Tamilnadu. A prospective surveillance for bacterial meningitis was established at the Institute of Child Health in Chennai to evaluate the etiology of meningitis and impact of the vaccine.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Infants aged one to 23 months who were admitted to the hospital with symptoms of suspected bacterial meningitis were enrolled and lumbar puncture was performed. Cerebrospinal fluid samples were analyzed for white blood cells, protein, and glucose. Bacterial culture and a latex agglutination test for common bacterial pathogens were performed.

RESULTS

Between January 2009 and March 2014, 4,770 children with suspected bacterial meningitis were enrolled. Prior to the introduction of the vaccine, an average of 11.7 cases of H. influenzae b meningitis and 31.1 cases of probable meningitis with no etiology were identified each year. After introduction, the number of cases were reduced by 79% and 44% respectively. The average H. influenzae b vaccine coverage after introduction was 69% among all children with clinically suspected meningitis. In contrast, the mean number of aseptic meningitis and pneumococcal meningitis cases remained stable throughout the pre and post vaccination period; 28.2 and 4.8 per year, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

H. influenzae b conjugate vaccine reduced the number of cases of H. influenzae b meningitis and probable meningitis within the first two years of its introduction. The impact against meningitis was higher than the vaccination rate, indicating indirect effects of the vaccine. India has recently scaled up the use of Hib conjugate vaccine throughout the country which should substantially reduce childhood meningitis rates further in the country.

Empiric Treatment of Acute Meningitis Syndrome in a Resource-Limited Setting: Clinical Outcomes and Predictors of Survival or Death

Background

Bacterial meningitis is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the developing world. However, limited research has focused on the diagnosis and management of meningitis in resource-limited settings.

Methods

We designed a prospective case series of children admitted to a large, academic referral hospital with acute meningitis syndrome. Data were collected on age, time of presentation, prior antibiotics, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) parameters, antibiotic and steroid prescription, and clinical outcome.

Results

Data on 99 patients were collected and analyzed. Most of the patients were males, n=69 (70%), and were from a rural area, n=83 (84%). Incomplete vaccination was common, n=36 (36%) and many have evidence of malnutrition, n=25 (38%). Most patients, n=64 (72%), had received antibiotics prior to admission with a mean duration of symptoms of 4.9 days prior to admission. The CSF white blood cell (WBC) count was higher in those who had not received prior antibiotics though it was elevated in both groups. The CSF WBC count was not associated with survival; malnutrition and length of symptoms prior to admission were both associated with decreased survival.

Conclusions

While use of antibiotics prior to obtaining CSF in patients with acute meningitis syndrome may decrease their CSF WBC count, it is not clinically significant. Many patients had a significant delay in presentation that had an effect on survival, This is a potentially modifiable risk factor despite the resourcelimited setting.

Incidence and aetiology of bacterial meningitis among children aged 1-59 months in South Asia: systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Bacterial meningitis is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide among children aged 1-59 months. We aimed to describe its burden in South Asia, focusing on vaccine-preventable aetiologies.

METHODS

We searched five databases for studies published from January 1, 1990, to April 25, 2017. We estimated incidence and aetiology-specific proportions using random-effects meta-analysis. In secondary analyses, we described vaccine impact and pneumococcal meningitis serotypes.

RESULTS

We included 48 articles cumulatively reporting 20,707 cases from 1987 to 2013. Mean annual incidence was 105 (95% confidence interval [CI], 53-173) cases per 100,000 children. On average, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) accounted for 13% (95% CI, 8-19%) of cases, pneumococcus for 10% (95% CI, 6-15%), and meningococcus for 1% (95% CI, 0-2%). These meta-analyses had substantial between-study heterogeneity (I² > 78%, P < 0.0001). Among studies reporting only confirmed cases, these three bacteria caused a median of 78% cases (IQR, 50-87%). Hib meningitis incidence declined by 72-83% at sentinel hospitals in Pakistan and Bangladesh, respectively, within two years of implementing nationwide vaccination. On average, PCV10 covered 49% (95% CI, 39-58%), PCV13 covered 51% (95% CI, 40-61%), and PPSV23 covered 74% (95% CI, 67-80%) of pneumococcal meningitis serotypes. Lower PCV10 and PCV13 serotype coverage in Bangladesh was associated with higher prevalence of serotype 2, compared to India and Pakistan.

CONCLUSIONS

South Asia has relatively high incidence of bacterial meningitis among children aged 1-59 months, with vaccine-preventable bacteria causing a substantial proportion. These estimates are likely underestimates due to multiple epidemiological and microbiological factors. Further research on vaccine impact and distribution of pneumococcal serotypes will inform vaccine policymaking and implementation.