Comparison of Scrub Typhus Meningitis with Acute Bacterial Meningitis and Tuberculous Meningitis

ABSTRACT

Objective: To compare scrub typhus meningitis with bacterial and tuberculous meningitis.Methods: Children aged<15 years admitted with meningitis were screened and those who fitcriteria for diagnosis of scrub typhus meningitis (n=48), bacterial meningitis (n=44) andtuberculous meningitis (n=31) were included for analysis. Clinical features, investigationsand outcomes were compared between the three types of meningitis. Results: Mean age,duration of fever at presentation, presence of headache and, altered sensorium and presenceof hepatomegaly/splenomegaly were statistically significantly different between the groups.Scrub typhus had statistically significant thrombocytopenia, shorter hospital stay and a betterneurological and mortality outcome. Conclusions: Sub-acute presentation of meningitis inolder age group children, and good outcome is associated with scrub typhus when comparedto bacterial and tuberculous meningitis