Update on acute bacterial meningitis in children

Abstract

Acute bacterial meningitis is a life-threatening infection of the membranes lining the brain. The causative organisms vary according to age and immune status and include group B streptococcus, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis and Staphylococcus aureus. Neisseria meningitidis is the primary cause of meningitis epidemics and historically has been the main cause of bacterial meningitis in the African Meningitis Belt (AMB). Antibiotic treatment including duration of therapy depends on the causative organism. The recent introduction of a meningococcal conjugate vaccine directed against serogroup A Neisseria meningitidis in childhood immunisation programmes in the AMB has been remarkably successful dramatically reducing the incidence of serogroup A meningitis.