Childhood bacterial meningitis

The causative microorganisms were cultured and recovered from cerebrospinal fluid in 105 of 161 children with bacterial meningitis in the eastern Province of Saudi Arabia from July 1982 through June 1985. The bacteria grown included Hemophilus influenzae type [Hib] in 44 patients, Streptococcus pneumoniae in 25 patients, and Neisseria meningitides in 12 patients. These amounted to about 80% of all proved cases of childhood bacterial meningitis. In 56 of the 161 children, causative pathogens were not identified. However, the clinical presentation, signs, and CSF findings compatible with the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis. Comparison of the age-specific occurrence of various causes of meningitis was made. Hib infection occurred primarily during infancy, although these organsms were not recovered from infants as young as 1 to 12 months of age. Fourteen percent of Hib strains were resistant to ampicillin

Atypical lymphocytes in malarial infection in children

Peripheral blood smears from 20 children suffering from malaria showed significant numbers of atypical lymphocytes which suggest the possibility of infectious mononucleosis. The presence of malaria parasites, the negative Monospot test[R] [Ortho-Diagnostics], the response of the disease to antimalarial treatment and the disappearance of the atypical lymphocytes from the peripheral blood within 9 days after treatment confirm that malaria and not infectious mononucleosis was responsible for these cells

pattern and type of seizure disorders among a selected group of Saudi Arabian children

In this study 461 children out of 58 702 referred to hospital ranging in age from birth to 12 years were assessed by age, sex and type of seizure disorder. This number amounted to a proportional frequency of 7.8/1000. In those children under 1 year old the most common types of seizures given in rank order were those associated with non-specific infections with hyperthermia, myoclonus, mental retardation with seizures, and infantile seizures In the group 1-5 years convulsions with fever most common, followed by mental retardation with seizures; tonic-clonic seizures were significantly more common than in the youngest group. In the oldest group [6-12 years] tonic-clonic seizures were most common. Single seizures were only apparent among those with convulsions associated with fever. Birth trauma was most often associated with mental retardation with seizures and myoclonic seizures. Although there was a changing pattern with age, mental retardation with seizures was relatively constant in all age groups averaging 22% of all cases. The results are comparable with the rate and type reported in studies from the highly industrialized nations