Clinical characteristics and cerebrospinal fluid abnormalities in 100 cases of confirmed B type of H.influenzae (Hib) meningititis were analysed in comparing with 105 cases of meningitis caused by other bacterial pathogens. The basic criteria for early diagnosis of Hib meningitis in under five year old children were found out. Results showed that 48.8% of cases of meningititis were due to Hib; 96% of CSF samples due to Hib had physiological change in comparing with 72.4% in meningitis due to other bacterial pathogens, in 92% there were clinical manifestations and biochemical/cytological typical changes in CSF, in 100% of cases of Hib meningitis(+), there were typical changes; 51% of cases there were positive blood culture and 47% there were Hib positive CSF and blood culture concurrently
Meningitis ; Child ; Haemophilus influenzae

No abstract available.
Empyema, Subdural* ; Haemophilus influenzae* ; Haemophilus* ; Meningitis*

Some techniques of detection of Hib were compared, including classic techniques such as bacterial culture and modern techniques such as PCR method. The results were as follows: 21% (+) culture with Hib compared to the total of clinically diagnosed cases, Hib-latex agglutination with 95% sensitivity and 99.6% specificity, counter immunophoresis assay to detect Hib by 97% sensitivity and 100% specificity. PCR increased the number of positive cases of Hib meningitis by 42.8% compared to culture alone. Blood culture gave a highly significant value to diagnose (51% Hib-possitive culture)
Haemophilus influenza type b ; Meningitis ; methods ; diagnosis

The molecular characteristics of 44 H. influenzae strains were isolated from children with bacterial meningitis and 37 strains were isolated from children with acute respiratory infection were investigated. Of the 37 H. influenzae isolates from nasopharyngeal aspirates (NA), the serotype of 30 isolates were nontypeable, 4 were type b, 2 were type c and one was type a. Whereas those of 44 isolates from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were all type b. Twenty-six (70.3%) from NA and 23 strains from CSF were beta lactamase-producing, and the remaining strains were beta lactamase negative. PCR analysis to identify the resistant genes indicates 25 strains from NA and 21 strains from CSF had TEM-l-type-beta lactamase gene, 11 strains from NA and 22 strains from CSF lack all resistant genes, and each strain from NA and CSF had TEM-l-type beta lactamase gene and fts I gene with the same substitution as the low -betalactamase-negative ampicillin resistant (low-BLNAR) strain. No BLNAR strain was found. The MICs against 16 antibiotics between isolates from NA and CSF were similar except for penicillin G and ampicillin.
Haemophilus influenza ; Pediatrics ; Meningitis ; Bacterial Infections

Seventy-nice pediatric patient - family pairs were detected for Hib or Hib-antigen. The study also examined 22 pairs of H. influenzae strains isolated from CSF of patients and from upper respiratory tract of the family members of the patients to determine serotype, biotype, presence of Beta-lactamase, PCR with Hib-specified primers, and PFGE with SmaI restriction enzyme. The results showed that 44.4% of the patients` families had Hib carriers; all of 22 H. influenzae isolated pairs from patients and their families had serotype b; 17 of 22 pairs had characteristics of biotype II; 16 of 22 pairs had Beta-lactamase; and 9 of 22 pairs had both the PCR pattern and PFGE pattern. Close contact with Hib carriers was a factor of Hib meningitis contagiousness in children under 5 years of age
Family ; Haemophilus influenzae type b ; Meningitis ; child

Since the implementation of conjugate Haemophilus influenzae serotype b (Hib) vaccine, the rate of infections caused by Hib has dramatically decreased, and the proportion of infections caused by non-type b H. influenzae has increased. Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is rare; however, it should be considered as a potential complication of bacterial meningitis. Herein, we report about a child who developed CVST after being diagnosed with H. influenzae serotype f meningitis.
Bacteremia ; Central Nervous System Infections ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Child ; Haemophilus influenzae type b ; Haemophilus influenzae ; Haemophilus ; Humans ; Influenza, Human ; Meningitis ; Meningitis, Bacterial ; Meningitis, Haemophilus ; Sepsis ; Serogroup ; Sinus Thrombosis, Intracranial

Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) is a major cause of meningitis and pneumonia in children. In Papua New Guinea (PNG) more than 20% of Hib are now resistant to chloramphenicol, and resistant Hib meningitis treated with chloramphenicol results in certain death or severe brain injury. Third-generation cephalosporins are a therapeutic option but are very expensive, while the Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine would provide effective prevention. In a province of 380,000 people, using ceftriaxone as standard treatment for meningitis in all health facilities would only save an estimated 8 more lives per year than using chloramphenicol, and cost US dollars 1514 per additional life saved. Introduction of Hib vaccine would save, each year, 61 more lives than using chloramphenicol and 53 more lives than using ceftriaxone for meningitis treatment. The cost of a vaccination strategy for Hib meningitis would be US dollars 1216 for each of the 61 additional lives saved. Hib vaccine would be by far the most effective intervention to reduce mortality and severe neurological disability from Hib meningitis in PNG. Nationwide introduction of Hib vaccine is urgently needed, as antibiotics are now less effective in this disease than ever before.
Haemophilus influenzae type b bacteria ; Meningitis ; Vaccines ; Chloramphenicol ; Prevention

No abstract available.
Animals ; Bacteremia* ; Cerebrospinal Fluid* ; Haemophilus influenzae* ; Haemophilus* ; Interleukin-6* ; Kinetics* ; Meningitis* ; Models, Animal* ; Rats* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

There are various microbial agents which causing meningitis in children. It is well known that Haemophilus influenzae (HI) are the most frequent bacterial agents. In Korea, it is hard to find studies detecting HI in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from pediatric patients with aseptic meningitis by PCR. It has been also reported that human herpes virus-6 (HHV-6) causes meningitis, meningoencephalitis, neuroinvasion and persistent infection of the central nervous system in children. In this study we also detected HHV-6 in the same CSF by EIA and PCR. We used 85 CSF specimens from 85 aseptic meningitis patients (mean age 6.6 years) taken from the Department of pediatrics at Ewha Womans University MokDong Hospital from June 2001 to August 2002. Detection rate of HI by EIA method was 12.9% (11/85) and by PCR was 16.5% (14/85). Detection rate of HHV-6 by EIA and by PCR was 18.8% (16/85) and 21.2% (18/85), respectively. Co-detection rate of HI and HHV-6 was 7.1% (6/85) by EIA and 12.9% (11/85) by PCR. In conclusion, by PCR in combination with EIA, HI infection could be proved in the aseptic meningitis CSF from which no bacterium was cultivated.
Central Nervous System ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Child ; Child, Hospitalized* ; Female ; Haemophilus influenzae* ; Haemophilus* ; Herpesvirus 6, Human ; Humans* ; Korea ; Meningitis ; Meningitis, Aseptic* ; Meningoencephalitis ; Pediatrics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction*

PURPOSE: In this study, we created a questionnaire and collected answers concerning actual conditions of vaccination and parents' knowledge of vaccination issues, in order to find false knowledge of patients. We tried to give correct information and suggested the role of the pediatrician. METHODS: We made questionnaires and collected answers from 466 parents from March 2004 to June 2004. RESULTS: Places of vaccination were pediatric clinics(49.4 percent), health centers(27.7 percent), general/university hospitals(15.0 percent) and other clinics(4.9 percent). We found 38.8 percent of parents thought that the reason for vaccination at pediatric clinics was a belief of speciality, even though there is no difference in the vaccination itself. We also found 15.0 percent of parents thought that there were no differences between pediatricians and other physicians, but 52.0 percent of parents wanted to receive vaccination at pediatric clinics in the future. Our study also found that 62.4 percent of parents wanted to make out a preliminary questionnaire for vaccination. Many parents got vaccination information from vaccination record books(57.9 percent), and 52.6 percent of parents incorrectly believed that Hib vaccination could prevent all kinds of meningitis. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that pediatricians need to make efforts to give out correct information. It is necessary to use preliminary questionnaires for vaccination and correct vaccination information should be written on the vaccination record book. Also, there needs to be counselling with parents about weaning, growth and development at the time of vaccination, and to point out the differences between pediatricians and other physicians.
Growth and Development ; Haemophilus influenzae type b ; Humans ; Meningitis ; Parents* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Vaccination* ; Weaning