[Etiologic factors for purulent meningitis in children. Twenty years of personal observations].

Etiological agents in purulent meningitis cases hospitalized during two 9 years periods: 1977-1985 and 1988-1996 were compared. While the percentage of cases caused by Neisseria meningitidis was similar in the two analyzed periods (55.7% i 66.5%, respectively), the percentage of cases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae decreased from 33.5% to 8.4% and the percentages of cases caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b increased from 0.6% to 14.2%. The analysis of the sensitivity of isolated strains of H. influenzae type b shows the occurrence of strains resistant to ampicillin and chloramphenicol.