Morbidity and mortality of bacterial meningitis in Arab children.

Between September 1981 and March 1987, 92 episodes of bacterial meningitis in 90 children were treated in three major hospitals in Kuwait. The diagnosis was bacteriologically confirmed in 80 (87%). Haemophilus influenzae was the most common aetiological organism and accounted for 42 episodes (45.6%) followed by Streptococcus pneumoniae in 21 (22.8%) and Neisseria meningitidis in only three (3.3%). Bacterial meningitis occurred in 53 children (57.6%) below the age of 1 year and in 81 (88%) below 5 years. The overall case fatality rate was 5.4% and ten children (9%) had severe neurological sequelae of their disease. Sequelae were more common following pneumococcal meningitis (28%) than after Haemophilus (7%). All 12 children with unknown pathogen recovered completely.