Bacterial Meningitis: A Review in the Upper East Region of Ghana 2010-2014.
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Date
2015
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Abstract
Introduction: Meningitis is an acute inflammation of the protective membranes covering
the brain and the spinal cord. It can cause severe brain damage and is fatal in 50% of cases if
untreated. The Upper East Region (UER) of Ghana recorded 70 case-patients in 2014 with a case
fatality of 10%. Furthermore, there have been series of out outbreaks of bacterial meningitis in the
region. The study reviewed meningitis surveillance data to assess the progress towards interruption of meningitis transmission and identified opportunities for surveillance improvement in the UER.
Methods: This involved records review and secondary data analysis of all reported meningitis
cases in the Region from 2010 to 2014. Data quality was assessed: described by person, place,
time, causative agents involved and identified opportunities for system improvement.
Results: Of 1142 suspected cases of meningitis recorded at the health facilities and communities
in the UER, 352(30.8%) were confirmed cases of various forms of Bacterial meningitis. Majority of
the cases (50.7%) were males. The age group 0-9 years was mostly 491(43.0%) affected. There
were 146 deaths, giving a case fatality rate of 13.0%. The identified etiological agents were
Neisseria meningitides (Nm W135) 50.3%, Streptococcus pneumonia (41.7%), Neisseria
meningitides (Nm A) 1.7%, Neisseria meningitides (Nm Y 5%), Haemophilus Influenzae Type
B1.5%. Majority of the case-patients were observed in 2010 (34.7%) and 2012 (44.2%) between
February and April (%). The Kassena Nankana Municipal recorded the highest number of cases
234(20.5%) and the Bulsa South District recorded no case of bacterial meningitis cases. 69 (6%) of
case-patients had no lumber puncture done. Time spent before presentation of case-patients to the
health facilities had no significant association with the outcome of the infection (p= 0.319).
Conclusions: There has been a consistent outbreak of Bacterial meningitis in the Upper East
Region that involved many cases-patients with some mortality. More bacterial meningitis cases
were recorded in children compared to adults. Lumber puncture was not performed in all casepatients.
Many case-patients were recorded in the first quarter of the year with the majority in the
Kassena Nankana District. There is an urgent need to review the management of meningitis,
coupled with enhanced strategies in prevention of occurrences of the disease in the Upper East
Region of Ghana.
Description
Keywords
Bacterial meningitis, outbreak, Upper East Region, Ghana
Citation
Opare Joseph K L, Awoonor-Williams John Koku, Odoom John Kofi, Afari Edwin, Oduro Abraham, Awuni Baba, Asante Dorcas Kyeiwa, Opare Olivia Serwaa, Akweongo Patricia. Bacterial Meningitis: A Review in the Upper East Region of Ghana 2010-2014. International Journal of TROPICAL DISEASE & Health. 2015; 10(3): 1-11.