Etiology and Clinical Features of Bacterial Meningitis in Adults at National Hospital for Tropical Diseases during 2015–2018

Abstract

To evaluate the etiology and clinical features of bacterial meningitis (BM) in adults during the period 2015-2018 in Vietnam, a retrospective study was performed at the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases. 102 patients were identified. BM occurred year-round, peaked in July -September, male was 80.4%, over 40 years old accounted for 80.4%. The proportion of patients with underlying diseases was 41.2%, contact with pigs or pork products was 30.4%. Common manifestations were stiff neck, kernig, headache, fever/hypothermia, and altered consciousness.The CSF showed high protein concentration (median 3.2 g/L, range 1.3 -6.2), and leukocytes (median 1312 cell/mm3, range 234-2943). Meningitis associated with septicemia was 29.4%.Streptococcus suis still was the main cause (72.5%), followed by Pneumococcal (6.8%) and a few other causes. Factors associated with the risk of S. suis should be considered were male (OR: