The Causative Organisms of Bacterial Meningitis and their Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles in Iranian Children in 2011-2016

Objectives: The study aimed to describe the identity and antimicrobial resistance patterns of the causative agents of bacterial meningitis in children referred to Children’s Medical Center (CMC) Hospital, Tehran, Iran. Methods: This retrospective study was performed at CMC Hospital during a six-year period from 2011 to 2016. The microbiological information of the patients with a diagnosis of bacterial meningitis was collected and the following data were obtained: patients’ age, sex, hospital ward, the results of CSF and blood cultures, and antibiotic susceptibility profiles of isolated organisms. Results: A total of 118 patients with bacterial meningitis were admitted to CMC hospital. Sixty-two percent (n=73) of the patients were male. The median age of the patients was ten months (interquartile range [IQR]: 2 months-2 years) and the majority of them (n=92, 80%) were younger than two years of age. The highest number of patients (n=47, 40%) were admitted to the surgery department. Streptococcus epidermidis was the most frequent isolated bacterium (n=27/127, 21%), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (n=20/127, 16%), and Staphylococcus aureus (n=16/127, 12.5%). Blood culture was positive in 28% (n=33/118) of patients. Ampicillin-sulbactam and imipenem were the most effective antibiotics against Gram-negative bacteria isolated from CSF cultures. In the case of Gram-positive organisms, ampicillinsulbactam, vancomycin, and linezolid were the best choices. Imipenem was the most active drug against Gram-negative blood pathogens. Also, ampicillin and vancomycin had the best effect on Gram-positive bacteria isolated from blood cultures. Conclusion: Results of this study provide valuable information about the antibiotic resistance profiles of the etiologic agents of childhood meningitis, which can be used for prescription of more effective empirical therapies.