FREQUENCY OF BACTERIAL MENINGITIS IN PATIENTS PRESENTING WITH ENTERIC FEVER AT TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL, LARKANA

Abstract

OBJECTIVE

To determine the frequency of bacterial meningitis in patients presenting with enteric fever at Tertiary Care Hospital, Larkana.

METHODOLOGY

A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Paediatrics, Children Hospital, SMBBU, Larkana. A total of 237 paediatric patients aged 2–16 years presenting with enteric fever were enrolled using non-probability consecutive sampling. Enteric fever was defined by clinical and laboratory criteria. Bacterial meningitis was identified using cerebrospinal fluid analysis. variables were analysed, and associations were assessed using Chi-square test, with p < 0.05 considered significant.

RESULTS

The mean age of the study participants was 6.27 ± 7.33 years, with males constituting the majority (152, 64.1%). Bacterial meningitis was identified in 12 (5.1%) patients. No statistically significant associations were found between the occurrence of bacterial meningitis and age, gender, residential status, family monthly income, or maternal occupational status (all p>0.05).

CONCLUSION

Bacterial meningitis occurred in a small proportion of paediatric patients presenting with enteric fever. Its occurrence showed no statistically significant association with the demographic or socioeconomic characteristics evaluated in the study. These findings indicated that bacterial meningitis was observed across the study population without identifiable demographic or socioeconomic predictors among children diagnosed with enteric fever.