Tuberculous meningitis in Turkish children: an evaluation of 38 cases.

Thirty-eight cases of tuberculous meningitis in children were studied. Mortality was 28.9%; most of these presented with stage III disease. Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) still ranks as one of the most important communicable diseases in terms of morbidity and mortality. It is universally fatal if not treated and has high morbidity and mortality, if not recognized early. According to WHO's data, 1.3 million new TB cases under 15 year olds were reported. In Turkey, the TB prevalence is 0.4 %. According to data from the Turkish Ministry of Health, the number of admissions to hospitals dropped from 108 per 100,000 in 1971 to 51 per 10,000 in 1988. Early diagnosis and treatment of TBM are essential in order to prevent late sequelas and death. The diagnosis of TBM may be delayed because many patients initially have vague, seemingly minor, signs and symptoms. In this study, the clinical and laboratory findings of 38 patients with the diagnosis of TBM in our hospital were reviewed, retrospectively, during the past five years. Our purpose was to stress the importance of TBM as a public health problem in Turkey, particularly in the Eastern of Turkey.