Laboratory finding of CSF analysis in patients with meningitis at Elamin Hamid Pediatrics Hospital in Khartoum, Sudan
1 Pediatric and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, National University, Khartoum, Sudan.
2 General Pediatric, Ain Al-Khaleej Hospital, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
3 Pediatric and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Dongola University.
Research Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2021, 12(03), 550–555
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjarr.2021.12.3.0732
Publication history:
Received on 21 November 2021; revised on 26 December 2021; accepted on 28 December 2021
Abstract:
Bacterial meningitis in infants and children is a serious clinical entity with signs and symptoms that commonly do not allow distinguishing the diagnosis and the causative agents. The only method to determine if meningitis is the cause of these symptoms is a lumbar puncture. Lumbar puncture is the gold standard for the diagnosis and should be done in all suspected cases of meningitis unless contraindicated.
Objectives: The purpose of this study is to identify the importance of the microbiological study of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in patients suspected to have acute meningitis. Despite the availability of all other investigations and Imaging for diagnosis of meningitis but CSF analysis remains the most available, accurate, and cheaper for diagnosis of meningitis in children.
Methodology and result: This is a prospective study. 71 patients were included. All patients were clinically suspected to have acute meningitis. A lumbar puncture for CSF analysis was done for all patients. The data was collected and analysed. CSF culture was done. The culture was negative In 58 patients (81.7%) and positive in 13 patients (18.3%). Streptococcus was found in 3 patients (4.2 %), staphylococcus epidermidis in 2 patients (2.8%), E Coli in 2 patients (2.8%), klebsiella in 2 patients (2.8%), pneumococci in 2 patient (2.8%), salmonella in 1 patient (1,4%) and Bacilli in 1 patient (1.4 %).
Recommendation: Lumbar Puncture (LP) remains the easiest, cheapest and accurate investigation for diagnosis of meningitis in children mainly in rural areas in Sudan and other developing countries. It’s mandatory to offer training for doctors and medical staff for doing lumber punctures safely and accurately and to offer well-equipped laboratories for such essential investigations. It’s not only the role of doctors and medical staff but is a governmental obligation as well. This can save a lot of sick children and prevent mortality and morbidity of acute meningitis in children.
Keywords:
CSF analysis; Meningitis; Sudan; Lumbar Puncture
Full text article in PDF:
Copyright information:
Copyright © 2021 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0