Yasemin Ozsurekci, Zafer Kurugöl, Hasan Tezer, Fatih Yilmaz, Ünal Uluca, Rengin Şiraneci, Diyar Tamburaci, Ümit Çelik, Gulnar Sensoy, Ahu Kara, Mehmet Ceyhan, Yildiz Camcioglu, Nilden Tuygun, Nezahat Gürler, Aslınur Özkaya Parlakay, Metehan Ozen, Nuran Salman, Ener Cagri Dinleyici, Necdet Kuyucu, Melda Celik, Eda Karadag Oncel, Sefika Elmas Bozdemir, Aybüke Akaslan, Melike Emiroglu, Emre Alhan, Fatmanur Öz, Ümmühan Çay, Fatih Akin, Adem Karbuz, Nevin Hatipoğlu, Solmaz Celebi, Nurşen Belet, Tolga İnce, İlker Devrim, Enes Coskun, Mustafa Hacimustafaoglu, OMÜ, Ege Üniversitesi, Çukurova Üniversitesi, İç Hastalıkları, Uludağ Üniversitesi/Tıp Fakültesi/Çocuk Enfeksiyon Hastalıkları Anabilim Dalı., Hacımustafaoğlu, Mustafa, Çelebi, Solmaz, and Selçuk Üniversitesi
WOS: 000388736900040, PubMed: 27454468, This is an observational epidemiological study to describe causes of bacterial meningitis among persons between 1 month and 18 y of age who are hospitalized with suspected bacterial meningitis in 7 Turkish regions. covering 32% of the entire population of Turkey. We present here the results from 2013 and 2014. A clinical case with meningitis was defined according to followings: any sign of meningitis including fever, vomiting, headache, and meningeal irritation in children above one year of age and fever without any documented source, impaired consciousness, prostration and seizures in those < 1 y of age. Single tube multiplex PCR assay was performed for the simultaneous identification of bacterial agents. The specific gene targets were ctrA, bex, and ply for N. meningitidis, Hib, and S. pneumoniae, respectively. PCR positive samples were recorded as laboratory-confirmed acute bacterial meningitis. A total of 665 children were hospitalized for suspected acute meningitis. The annual incidences of acute laboratory-confirmed bacterial meningitis were 0.3 cases / 100,000 population in 2013 and 0.9 cases/100,000 in 2014. Of the 94 diagnosed cases of bacterial meningitis by PCR, 85 (90.4%) were meningococcal and 9 (9.6%) were pneumococcal. Hib was not detected in any of the patients. Among meningococcal meningitis, cases of serogroup Y, A, B and W-135 were 2.4% (n = 2), 3.5% (n = 3), 32.9% (n = 28), and 42.4% (n = 36). No serogroup C was detected among meningococcal cases. Successful vaccination policies for protection from bacterial meningitis are dependent on accurate determination of the etiology of bacterial meningitis. Additionally, the epidemiology of meningococcal disease is dynamic and close monitoring of serogroup distribution is comprehensively needed to assess the benefit of adding meningococcal vaccines to the routine immunization program., GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals SAGlaxoSmithKline, Funding for this study was provided by GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals SA. GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals SA was provided the opportunity to review a preliminary version of this manuscript for factual accuracy but the authors are solely responsible for final content and interpretation. The authors received no financial support or other form of compensation related to the development of the manuscript.