Svas Raju Kakarlapudi1, Anila Chacko1, Prasanna Samuel2, Valsan Philip Verghese1, Winsley Rose3. 1. Departments of Paediatrics, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India. 2. Departments of Biostatistics, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India. 3. Departments of Paediatrics, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India. Correspondence to: Dr. Winsley Rose, Professor, Department of Paediatrics, Christian Medical College, Vellore 632004, Tamilnadu, India. winsleyrose@cmcvellore.ac.in.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To compare scrub typhus meningitis with bacterial and tuberculous meningitis. METHODS: Children aged <15 years admitted with meningitis were screened and those who fit criteria for diagnosis of scrub typhus meningitis (n=48), bacterial meningitis (n=44) and tuberculous meningitis (n=31) were included for analysis. Clinical features, investigations and outcomes were compared between the three types of meningitis. RESULTS: Mean age, duration of fever at presentation, presence of headache and, altered sensorium and presence of hepatomegaly/splenomegaly were statistically significantly different between the groups. Scrub typhus had statistically significant thrombocytopenia, shorter hospital stay and a better neurological and mortality outcome. CONCLUSION: Sub-acute presentation of meningitis in older age group children, and good outcome is associated with scrub typhus when compared to bacterial and tuberculous meningitis.
OBJECTIVE: To compare scrub typhus meningitis with bacterial and tuberculous meningitis. METHODS:Children aged <15 years admitted with meningitis were screened and those who fit criteria for diagnosis of scrub typhus meningitis (n=48), bacterial meningitis (n=44) and tuberculous meningitis (n=31) were included for analysis. Clinical features, investigations and outcomes were compared between the three types of meningitis. RESULTS: Mean age, duration of fever at presentation, presence of headache and, altered sensorium and presence of hepatomegaly/splenomegaly were statistically significantly different between the groups. Scrub typhus had statistically significant thrombocytopenia, shorter hospital stay and a better neurological and mortality outcome. CONCLUSION: Sub-acute presentation of meningitis in older age group children, and good outcome is associated with scrub typhus when compared to bacterial and tuberculous meningitis.