The clinical features and some laboratory parameters of 247 cases of meningococcal meningitis admitted between January 1983 and April 1990 to a paediatric ward in Jawahar Lal Nehru Medical College Hospital, India were analyzed retrospectively. A total of 189 (76.5%) were more than 5 years of age. The maximum number of cases occurred between October and April each year. Complications included bleeding tendencies, neurological deficits, gangrene of limbs, arthritis, uveitis and cataract. The overall mortality rate was 16%. A scoring system based on some clinical characteristics correctly predicted a fatal outcome in all but three children.

In a prospective, hospital-based study in North India, malaria accounted for 1.5% of paediatric outpatient attendances during 1 year. A marked increase in the prevalence of malaria was noted during the post-monsoon months. Plasmodium falciparum was the causative species in 44.4% of cases, contrary to previous reports of low prevalence of this parasite in the area. Pyrexia with or without chills or rigor, vomiting, pallor and hepatosplenomegaly were the common presenting clinical features. Splenic and hepatic enlargement were seen more frequently with P. vivax than P. falciparum infections (P less than 0.001 and P less than 0.01, respectively). Convulsions were present in 20% of cases.

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