Aseptic meningitis among children in Kuwait.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the epidemiology, clinical features, and the morbidity caused by aseptic meningitis in children in Kuwait.

SUBJECTS AND METHOD

A multicenter retrospective study of previously healthy children hospitalized with a diagnosis of aseptic meningitis in the period 2001-2003 was carried out.

RESULTS

There were 172 children with the diagnosis of meningitis based on changes in the cerebrospinal fluid. Aseptic meningitis was diagnosed in 86 (50%) of the cases; their mean age was 3.2 +/- 3.8 years. There were two peaks of cases, one during the months of May and June and the other in November/December. Older children (>or=5 years) presented more frequently with signs and symptoms suggestive of meningeal irritation than younger children (<5 years) (p <or= 0.01). The median duration of hospitalization was 7 days. The majority (n = 56, 65%) received a 7- to 10-day course of antibiotics despite negative cerebrospinal fluid cultures. Six (7%) hospitalized children had complications: 3 had convulsions, 2 were ventilated, and 1 had motor palsy. Intensive care unit admission was necessary in 3. All the children were discharged home without sequelae. There were no mortalities in the study group.

CONCLUSIONS

Aseptic meningitis among children in Kuwait is a major cause of morbidity and requires prolonged hospitalization. The complication rate is low and there were no sequelae or mortality among the studied cohort.