Author(s)

Synthia Ningatoloum Nazita^1,2*, Simplice Cyriaque Kango^2,3, Carine Judith Kiteze Nguinzanémou^2,3, Rostand Juste Koyangboi Kombaya^2,3, Iris Vanessa Gaspiet Sonny^2,3, Brice Olivier Bogning Mejiozem^2,3, Franck Houndjahoue^2,3, Jean Chrysostome Gody^2,3

¹Centre Hospitalo, Universitaire Communautaire de Bangui, Bangui, République Centrafricaine.
²Faculté des Sciences de la Santé de l’Université de Bangui, Bangui, République Centrafricaine.
³Complexe Hospitalo, Universitaire Pédiatrique de Bangui, Bangui, République Centrafricaine.

Background: Bacterial meningitis is a major public health problem worldwide due to its severity. It is a vaccine-preventable disease. Methodology: It was a retrospective descriptive study conducted at the Pediatric Teaching Hospital of Bangui from June 2019 to May 2021. Children aged 1 month to 15 years hospitalized for bacterial meningitis were included in the study. Data were entered and analyzed using Stata/IC version 16.1. Results: Of 2490 patients hospitalized during the study period, 122 (4.9%) had bacterial meningitis. The patients were male in 54.92% of cases with a sex ratio of 1.21. The mean age was 35.95 months ± 49.16. Most of the patients (84.42%) came directly from home. The average consultation delay was 3.4 days ± 2.6. The vaccination coverage was 56.55%. The CSF study isolated germs from 24 patients (19.67%), the main ones being S. pneumoniae (75%) and H. influenzae (16.67%). Ceftriaxone was prescribed alone or in combination in all cases as first-line treatment. The average duration of antibiotic therapy was 8.95 days. The mortality rate was 27.87% and 12.30 % of patients had sequelae. Conclusion: Bacterial meningitis is common in Bangui and still poses a public health problem despite the introduction of new vaccines in the EPI. Improving vaccination coverage and raising awareness for early consultation could improve the situation.

Bacterial Meningitis, Child, Bangui

Ningatoloum Nazita, S., Kango, S.C., Kiteze Nguinzanemou, C.J., Koyangboi Kombaya, R.J., Gaspiet Sonny, I.V., Bogning Mejiozem, B.O., Houndjahoue, F. and Gody, J.C. (2023) Epidemiological, Clinical, Bacteriological and Evolutionary Profiles of Bacterial Meningitis in Children in Bangui (CAR). Open Journal of Pediatrics , 13, 553-561. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojped.2023.134062