Neuroinfluenza: evaluation of seasonal influenza associated severe neurological complications in children (a multicenter study).

PURPOSE: Although influenza primarily affects the respiratory system, in some cases, it can cause severe neurological complications. Younger children are especially at risk. Pediatric literature is limited on the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of influenza-related neurological complications. The aim of the study was to evaluate children who suffered severe neurological manifestation as a result of seasonal influenza infection. METHODS: The medical records of 14 patients from six hospitals in different regions of the country were evaluated. All of the children had a severe neurological manifestations related to laboratory-confirmed influenza infection. RESULTS: Median age of the patients was 59 months (6 months-15.5 years) and nine (64.3%) were male. Only 4 (28.6%) of the 14 patients had a comorbid disease. Two patients were admitted to hospital with influenza-related late complications, and the remainder had acute complication. The most frequent complaints at admission were fever, altered mental status, vomiting, and seizure, respectively. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis was performed in 11 cases, and pleocytosis was found in only two cases. Neuroradiological imaging was performed in 13 patients. The most frequent affected regions of nervous system were as follows: cerebellum, brainstem, thalamus, basal ganglions, periventricular white matter, and spinal cords. Nine (64.3%) patients suffered epileptic seizures. Two patients had focal seizure, and the rest had generalized seizures. Two patients developed status epilepticus. Most frequent diagnoses of patients were encephalopathy (n = 4), encephalitis (n = 3), and meningitis (n = 3), respectively. The rate of recovery without sequelae from was found to be 50%. At discharge, three (21.4%) patients had mild symptoms, another three (21.4%) had severe neurological sequelae. One (7.1%) patient died. The clinical findings were more severe and outcome was worse in patients <5 years old than patients >5 years old and in patients with comorbid disease than previously healthy group. CONCLUSION: Seasonal influenza infection may cause severe neurological complications, especially in children. Healthy children are also at risk such as patients with comorbid conditions. All children who are admitted with neurological findings, especially during the influenza season, should be evaluated for influenza-related neurological complications even if their respiratory complaints are mild or nonexistent.

Seven chronic granulomatous disease cases in a single-center experience and a review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a rare primary immunodeficiency caused by defects in the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase enzyme system. This disease causes the disordered functioning of phagocytic cells. It is characterized by life-threatening and/or recurrent infections by bacteria and fungi. CGD has both an X-linked recessive (X-CGD) and autosomal recessive (AR-CGD) phenotypes. AR form have four subtypes including defects with one of these NADPH oxidase components (p22, p40, p47 and p67phox). OBJECTIVES: To report the clinical and laboratory characteristics of seven CGD patients based on their genetic characteristics. METHODS: Seven boys with CGD were reviewed based on clinical findings and genetic results. Dihydrorhodamine-1,2,3 (DHR) assay was used as a diagnostic test. Genetic analysis was conducted to establish moleculer diagnoses in all patients. RESULTS: The age of diagnosis varied between 1.5 years and 15 years. The most frequent clinical presentation was pneumonia, and two patients had BCG-itis. Four patients had the AR-CGD phenotype, and three patients had the X-CGD phenotype. Severe invasive infections due to Aspergillus, Staphylococcus, and Serratia species were reported. Frequent lung and lymph node involvement was observed during follow-up of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: CGD is life-threatening disease that involves deep-seated infection. In our patients, the most commonly affected organs were the lungs and lymph nodes. Phagocytic disorders should be considered in cases of recurrent infectious diseases, invasive fungal diseases, BCG complications that are not self-limiting, unexplained lymphadenitis or osteomyelitis, and chronic inflammatory disorders.

Invasive fungal infections in children with hematologic and malignant diseases.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the clinical feature and outcome of invasive fungal infections (IFI) in children with hematologic and malign diseases. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The medical records of children with hematologic and malignant diseases, who were hospitalized at our hospital between January 2010 and December 2011, were reviewed. Proven, probable, and possible IFIs were diagnosed according to the revised definitions of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer/Mycosis Study Group. The demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of the patients who met the study criteria were evaluated. RESULTS: IFI was diagnosed in 67 (7.2%) febrile episodes of 56 patients, of which 10 (1.2%) were proven, 20 (2%) probable, and 37 (4%) possible IFI. Blood culture of 10 cases with proven IFI yielded yeast and the most common isolated agent was Candida parapsilosis. Seventy percent of cases with fungemia had central venous catheter (CVC). Twenty cases with probable IFI had invasive mold infection. The cases with mold infection had higher median C-reactive protein values, lower neutrophil counts, and longer duration of neutropenia compared with the cases with yeast infection. A total of 14 patients (20.9%) died. Presence of CVC, bone marrow transplantation, total parenteral nutrition, prolonged fever, and proven/probable IFI were detected more often in patients who died, compared with patients who survived. CONCLUSIONS: IFIs are important causes of death in children with hematologic and malignant diseases. Mold infections are seen more frequently in cases with prolonged and profound neutropenia, and invasive yeast infections, especially with non-albicans Candida species, in cases with CVC. Early and effective treatment considering these findings will help to decrease the mortality.

Pott's puffy tumor in a 12-year-old boy.

Pott's puffy tumor (PPT) is a rare complication of sinusitis characterized by subperiosteal abscess and osteomyelitis of the frontal bone. Early diagnosis and treatment is vital before it causes intracranial complications such as subdural empyema or brain abscess. Herein we describe the case of a 12-year-old patient who developed preseptal cellulitis and PPT, and was successfully treated with abscess drainage, sinus surgery and long-term antibiotic therapy.

Cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis associated with anti-tuberculosis drugs.

Leukocytoclastic vasculitis (LCV), a disease characterized by inflammation of the small vessels, presents with palpable purpura, especially in the lower extremities. Its etiology is known to include drugs, infection, collagen tissue disease, and malignancy, but LCV caused by anti-tuberculosis drugs is very rarely seen. This report describes the case of a 12-year-old girl who developed LCV with rifampicin and ethambutol while undergoing anti-tuberculosis treatment due to extensive pulmonary involvement.

Acute suppurative parotitis in a 33-day-old patient.

Acute suppurative parotitis is a rare disease in childhood. Its incidence is higher in premature newborns. Parotid swelling and pus drainage from Stenson's duct is pathognomonic, and Staphylococcus aureus is the causative agent in most cases. Here, a 33-day-old patient with acute suppurative parotitis is presented.

Ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection with Listeria innocua.

Listeria species may cause life-threatening events including meningitis and invasive infection in newborns, pregnant women, older and immunodeficient people. The most common Listeria species that causes infection is L. monocytogenes. It is known that Listeria innocua has no pathogenicity. A 9-month-old baby had ventriculoperitoneal shunt and was treated with adrenocorticotropic hormone because of infantile spasms. He was brought to hospital with fever and vomiting. Upon physical examination, the patient seemed uncomfortable and had a temperature of 38.6°C. Laboratory results were as follows: hemoglobin, 6.7 g/dL; leukocyte count, 5420/mm(3) ; platelet count, 169,000/mm(3) ; and C-reactive protein, 100 mg/L (normal <5 mg/L). On analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), leukocyte count was 480/mm(3) , protein was 46 mg/dL and CSF glucose was 35 mg/dL. L. innocua was isolated in CSF culture. We describe this unusual case of ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection with L. innocua.

Evaluation of pneumococcal PCR and urinary antigen detection in children.

BACKGROUND: The rapid detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae could assist in the management of pneumococcal infections. The Binax NOW S. pneumoniae test is a rapid immunochromatographic test for this purpose. METHODS: Multiplex PCR in parapneumonic pleural effusion fluid (PPEF) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) with Binax NOW urinary pneumococcal antigen test (PAT) from 80 children was compared in this study. RESULTS: PAT had a sensitivity of 36.4%, specificity of 97.3%, in CSF. PAT had a sensitivity of 50%, specificity of 81% for parapneumonic pleural effusion fluid. CONCLUSIONS: When rapid management of a serious infection is needed the Binax NOW test could be a reliable method for the exclusion of S. pneumoniae infection.

The epidemiology and economic impact of varicella-related hospitalizations in Turkey from 2008 to 2010: a nationwide survey during the pre-vaccine era (VARICOMP study).

Varicella can cause complications that are potentially serious and require hospitalization. Our current understanding of the causes and incidence of varicella-related hospitalization in Turkey is limited and sufficiently accurate epidemiological and economical information is lacking. The aim of this study was to estimate the annual incidence of varicella-related hospitalizations, describe the complications, and estimate the annual mortality and cost of varicella in children. VARICOMP is a multi-center study that was performed to provide epidemiological and economic data on hospitalization for varicella in children between 0 and 15 years of age from October 2008 to September 2010 in Turkey. According to medical records from 27 health care centers in 14 cities (representing 49.3% of the childhood population in Turkey), 824 children (73% previously healthy) were hospitalized for varicella over the 2-year period. Most cases occurred in the spring and early summer months. Most cases were in children under 5 years of age, and 29.5% were in children under 1 year of age. The estimated incidence of varicella-related hospitalization was 5.29-6.89 per 100,000 in all children between 0-15 years of age in Turkey, 21.7 to 28 per 100,000 children under 1 year of age, 9.8-13.8 per 100,000 children under 5 years of age, 3.96-6.52 per 100,000 children between 5 and 10 years of age and 0.42 to 0.71 per 100,000 children between 10 and 15 years of age. Among the 824 children, 212 (25.7%) were hospitalized because of primary varicella infection. The most common complications in children were secondary bacterial infection (23%), neurological (19.1%), and respiratory (17.5%) complications. Secondary bacterial infections (p < 0.001) and neurological complications (p < 0.001) were significantly more common in previously healthy children, whereas hematological complications (p < 0.001) were more commonly observed in children with underlying conditions. The median length of the hospital stay was 6 days, and it was longer in children with underlying conditions (<0.001). The median cost of hospitalization per patient was $338 and was significantly higher in children with underlying conditions (p < 0.001). The estimated direct annual cost (not including the loss of parental work time and school absence) of varicella-related hospitalization in children under the age of 15 years in Turkey was $856,190 to $1,407,006. According to our estimates, 882 to 1,450 children are hospitalized for varicella each year, reflecting a population-wide occurrence of 466-768 varicella cases per 100,000 children. In conclusion, this study confirms that varicella-related hospitalizations are not uncommon in children, and two thirds of these children are otherwise healthy. The annual cost of hospitalization for varicella reflects only a small part of the overall cost of this disease, as only a very few cases require hospital admission. The incidence of this disease was higher in children <1 year of age, and there are no prevention strategies for these children other than population-wide vaccination. Universal vaccination is therefore the only realistic option for the prevention of severe complications and deaths. The surveillance of varicella-associated complications is essential for monitoring of the impact of varicella immunization.

CSF hydrothorax: neither migration of peritoneal catheter into the chest nor ascites. Case report and review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: Complications of ventriculoperitoneal (V/P) shunt surgery are generally due to infection, or mechanical or dynamic dysfunction. Thoracic complications like cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) hydrothorax are rarely seen. PATIENT AND METHODS: We present a CSF hydrothorax patient as a rare complication of V/P shunt surgery and review of the literature. The patient was a 7-month-old girl who had V/P shunt surgery for hydrocephalus. Six months after surgery, she was admitted to hospital with the complaint of cough. As the chest X-ray revealed hydrothorax, a chest tube was inserted. Although her shunt tip was in the abdominal cavity in shuntograms, positive beta-2 transferrin in liquid sample and Tc 99m cisternography proved that it was CSF. After we replaced her V/P shunt with a ventriculoatrial shunt, the liquid coming from the chest tube progressively diminished and disappeared, and her chest tube was removed. RESULTS: There are 36 CSF hydrothorax cases, including the present case, in the literature. There is peritoneal catheter migration into the chest in 22 of them (61.1 %). Half of the remaining 14 cases (38.9 %) without catheter migration have also CSF ascites. But, in the other half (seven cases), there is neither catheter migration nor CSF ascites as in the present case. CONCLUSION: CSF hydrothorax following V/P shunt surgery is a very rare complication that may cause serious respiratory distress. It is important to keep in mind that peritoneal catheter migration into the chest may or may not occur. Even ascites may not accompany CSF hydrothorax in a patient without peritoneal catheter migration.

Seroprevalence of Bordetella pertussis immunoglobulin G antibodies among children in Samsun, Turkey.

In this study, we aimed to investigate anti-pertussis immunoglobulin (Ig) G antibodies in the serum of children in our region vaccinated against pertussis with four doses. Between August 2008-2009, antibody levels to Bordetella pertussis (B. pertussis) antigens were studied in 385 serum samples from healthy children aged 1.5-18 years (y) vaccinated against pertussis in Samsun, Turkey. The study population was divided into six groups according to ages: 1.5-3 y; 4-5 y; 6-8 y; 10-12 y; 13-15 y; and 16-18 y. IgG antibodies to B. pertussis antigens were measured with a commercial ELISA kit. Mean age of the children was 9.6 +/- 5.3 y. Anti-pertussis IgG titers were positive in 48.3% of the cases. The lowest positivity rate was determined in the 4-5 y age group (28.1%) and the highest rate in the 16-18 y age group (64.2%). Geometric mean titer of anti-pertussis antibodies was 39.2 IU/ml, and again the lowest value was obtained in the 4-5 y age group (23.3 IU/ml) and the highest in the 16-18 y age group (51.4 IU/ml). The antibody levels to B. pertussis antigens significantly decrease 4-6 years after vaccination and again increase in school children, possibly due to natural infection.

Clinical and epidemiological features of Turkish children with 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) infection: experience from multiple tertiary paediatric centres in Turkey.

BACKGROUND: In April 2009 a novel strain of human influenza A, identified as H1N1 virus, rapidly spread worldwide, and in early June 2009 the World Health Organization raised the pandemic alert level to phase 6. Herein we present the largest series of children who were hospitalized due to pandemic H1N1 infection in Turkey. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective multicentre analysis of case records involving children hospitalized with influenza-like illness, in whom 2009 H1N1 influenza was diagnosed by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assay, at 17 different tertiary hospitals. RESULTS: A total of 821 children with 2009 pandemic H1N1 were hospitalized. The majority of admitted children (56.9%) were younger than 5 y of age. Three hundred and seventy-six children (45.8%) had 1 or more pre-existing conditions. Respiratory complications including wheezing, pneumonia, pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, and hypoxemia were seen in 272 (33.2%) children. Ninety of the patients (11.0%) were admitted or transferred to the paediatric intensive care units (PICU) and 52 (6.3%) received mechanical ventilation. Thirty-five children (4.3%) died. The mortality rate did not differ between age groups. Of the patients who died, 25.7% were healthy before the H1N1 virus infection. However, the death rate was significantly higher in patients with malignancy, chronic neurological disease, immunosuppressive therapy, at least 1 pre-existing condition, and respiratory complications. The most common causes of mortality were pneumonia and sepsis. CONCLUSIONS: In Turkey, 2009 H1N1 infection caused high mortality and PICU admission due to severe respiratory illness and complications, especially in children with an underlying condition.

Rhinolithiasis: an unusual cause of sinusitis complicated with frontal osteomyelitis and epidural abscess.

Rhinoliths are rare foreign bodies of the nose formed by in situ mineralization of endogenous or exogenous foreign material. They are often asymptomatic but may have various clinical presentations, with purulent rhinorrhea and nasal obstruction being the most common. They may go unnoticed for a long period and be diagnosed accidentally during a routine examination. We report a 6.5-year-old girl with rhinolithiasis complicated with sinusitis, frontal osteomyelitis and epidural abscess; she had a history dating back four years.

Tuberculous peritonitis in children: report of nine patients and review of the literature.

AIM: To present our experience with tuberculous peritonitis treated in our hospital from 2002-2007. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 9 children with tuberculous peritonitis. RESULTS: Nine patients (5 boys, 4 girls) of mean age 14.2 years were diagnosed with peritoneal tuberculosis. All patients presented with abdominal distention. Abdominal pain was seen in 55.5% and fever in 44.4% of the patients. Four cases had coexisting pleural effusion and two had pulmonary tuberculosis with parenchymal consolidation. Ultrasonography found ascites with septation in 7 patients. Two patients had only ascites without septation. Ascitic fluid analysis of 8 patients yielded serum-ascite albumin gradients of less than 1.1 gr/dL. Laparoscopy and laparotomy showed that whitish tuberculi were the most common appearance. Adhesions were also seen in three cases. The diagnosis of peritoneal tuberculosis was confirmed histo-pathologically in 7 patients and microbiologically in two. Two patients had been diagnosed by ascitic fluid diagnostic features and a positive response to antituberculous treatment. All patients completed the antituberculous therapy without any complications. CONCLUSION: Tuberculous peritonitis has to be clinically suspected in all patients with slowly progressive abdominal distension, particularly when it is accompanied by fever and pain. Laparoscopy and peritoneal biopsy are still the most reliable, quick and safe methods for the diagnosis of tuberculous peritonitis.

A case of brucellosis presenting with pericardial and pleural effusion.

Brucellosis is a worldwide zoonotic infection with a diverse clinical presentation. Pericardial and pleural involvement is rare in brucellosis. There is no presentation with pleural and pericardial effusion in childhood brusellosis. In endemic countries Brucellosis must thought as an unknown etiology of pericardial and pleural effusion.

Treatment-failure tularemia in children.

PURPOSE: Tularemia is an infection caused by Francisella tularensis. Its diagnosis and treatment may be difficult in many cases. The aim of this study was to evaluate treatment modalities for pediatric tularemia patients who do not respond to medical treatment. METHODS: A single-center, retrospective study was performed. A total of 19 children with oropharyngeal tularemia were included. RESULTS: Before diagnosis, the duration of symptoms in patients was 32.15±17.8 days. The most common lymph node localization was the cervical chain. All patients received medical treatment (e.g., streptomycin, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, and doxycycline). Patients who had been given streptomycin, gentamicin, or doxycycline as initial therapy for 10-14 days showed no response to treatment, and recovery was only achieved after administration of oral ciprofloxacin. Response to treatment was delayed in 5 patients who had been given ciprofloxacin as initial therapy. Surgical incision and drainage were performed in 9 patients (47.5%) who were unresponsive to medical treatment and were experiencing abcess formation and suppuration. Five patients (26.3%) underwent total mass excision, and 2 patients (10.5%) underwent fine-needle aspiration to reach a conclusive differential diagnosis and inform treatment. CONCLUSION: The causes of treatment failure in tularemia include delay in effective treatment and the development of suppurating lymph nodes.

Prolonged acyclovir treatment in a child with opercular syndrome related to herpes simplex encephalitis.

HSV 1 encephalitis is the most common cause of sporadic and focal viral encephalitis. Opercular syndrome is characterized by swallowing and speech difficulties which are associated with deterioration of voluntary control of face, pharynx, tongue and chewing muscles. It can be developed in patients with Herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE). Here, a twelve-year-old boy who was diagnosed with HSE and Opercular syndrome, is presented. The patient recovered without sequela as a result of 30 days of intravenous and 10 days of oral acyclovir treatment. It might be important as well, to personalize and elongate the treatment in terms of prognosis.

The prevalence, serogroup distribution and risk factors of meningococcal carriage in adolescents and young adults in Turkey.

The serogroup epidemiology of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD), which varies considerably by geographic region and immunization schedule, changes continuously. Meningococcal carriage data are crucial for assessing IMD epidemiology and designing f potential vaccination strategies. Meningococcal seroepidemiology in Turkey differs from that in other countries: serogroups W and B are the predominant strains for IMD during childhood, whereas no serogroup C cases were identified over the last 10 y and no adolescent peak for IMD was found. There is a lack of data on meningococcal carriage that represents the whole population. The aims of this multicenter study (12 cities in Turkey) were to evaluate the prevalence of Neisseria meningitidis carriage, the serogroup distribution and the related risk factors (educational status, living in a dormitory or student house, being a household contact with Hajj pilgrims, smoking, completion of military service, attending bars/clubs) in 1518 adolescents and young adults aged 10-24 y. The presence of N. meningitidis DNA was tested, and a serogroup analysis was performed using polymerase chain reaction. The overall meningococcal carriage rate was 6.3% (n = 96) in the study population. A serogroup distribution of the 96 N. meningitidis strains isolated from the nasopharyngeal specimens revealed serogroup A in 5 specimens (5.2%), serogroup B in 9 specimens (9.4%), serogroup W in 64 specimens (66.6%), and serogroup Y in 4 specimens (4.2%); 14 were classified as non-grouped (14.4%). No serogroup C cases were detected. The nasopharyngeal meningococcal carriage rate was 5% in the 10-14 age group, 6.4% in the 15-17 age-group, and 4.7% in the 18-20 age group; the highest carriage rate was found in the 21-24 age group (9.1%), which was significantly higher than those of the other age groups (p < 0.05). The highest carriage rate was found in 17-year-old adolescents (11%). The carriage rate was higher among the participants who had had close contact with Hajj/Umrah pilgrims (p < 0.01) or a history of upper respiratory tract infections over the past 3 months (p < 0.05). The nasopharyngeal carriage rate was 6.3% among adolescents and young adults in Turkey and was similar to the recent rates observed in the same age groups in other countries. The most prevalent serogroup was W, and no serogroup C cases were found. In conclusion, the present study found that meningococcal carriage reaches its peak level by age 17, the highest carriage rate was found in 21 - to 24 - year-olds and the majority of the carriage cases were due to serogroup W. Adolescents and young adult carriers seem to be a potential reservoir for the disease, and further immunization strategies, including adolescent immunization, may play a role in the control of IMD.

Disseminated Panton-Valentine Leukocidin-Positive Staphylococcus aureus infection in a child.

Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) is an exotoxin that is produced by many strains of Staphylococcus aureus, and an important virulence factor. A PVL-positive S. aureus infection leads to rapid and severe infections of soft tissue and necrotizing pneumonia in healthy adolescents, and has a high mortality. This case report included a 12-year-old male patient who admitted for fever, respiratory distress and hip pain and was identified with necrotizing pneumonia with septic pulmonary embolism, psoas abscess, cellulitis and osteomyelitis. The PVL positive methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) was isolated in the patient blood culture.

La leucocidina de Panton-Valentine (LPV) es una exotoxina producida por muchas cepas de Staphylococcus aureus, y un importante factor de virulencia. Una infección por S. aureus positivo para LPV deriva en infecciones rápidas y graves de partes blandas y neumonía necrosante en adolescentes sanos, y la tasa de mortalidad es elevada. Presentamos el caso de un paciente de 12 años hospitalizado por fiebre, dificultad respiratoria y coxalgia en el que se identificó neumonía necrosante con embolia pulmonar séptic absceso del psoas, celulitis y osteomielitis. En el hemocultivo del paciente se aisló S. aureus sensible a la meticilina (SASM) positivo para LPV.

Bacterial agents causing meningitis during 2013-2014 in Turkey: A multi-center hospital-based prospective surveillance study.

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.