EPIDEMIOLOGY OF MENINGOCOCCAL INFECTIONS IN CHILDREN IN MIDSOUTHERN PART OF TURKEY


ALBAN E., BOZDEMIR N., YUKSEL B., ONENLI N., KOCABAS E., AKSARAY N.

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY, vol.11, no.4, pp.393-396, 1995 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 11 Issue: 4
  • Publication Date: 1995
  • Doi Number: 10.1007/bf01721223
  • Journal Name: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.393-396
  • Çukurova University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

59 patients were treated for meningococcal infections in Cukurova University Faculty of Medicine, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 50.8% of patients were male, 33.9% were under two years of age and 61% were under five. 78% of patients were admitted to hospital in winter and spring time. Meningococcal meningitis (MM) was present in 39% of patients on admission, however, meningococcemia in 27.1% and meningococcemia and meningococcic meningitis (Meningococcemia + MM) in 33.9%. Fatality rate was 18.6% and no association was found between mortality and clinical type of disease (p > 0.05), but mortality ratio decreased with an increasing age (p < 0.01). No deaths occurred among the 12 patients who received IV penicillin treatment shortly before admitting to hospital, on the other hand 11 of 47 patients (23.4%) without such a previous treatment died.