PREVALENCE OF BACTERIAL MENINGITIS AT INFECTIOUS DISEASE HOSPITAL IN KABUL AFGHANISTAN

Abstract

Background: Bacterial meningitis is a bacterial infection that causes inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of bacterial meningitis in infectious disease hospital in Kabul Afghanistan.

Methods and materials: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study that used medical records of the diagnosed bacterial meningitis patients from the Infectious Disease Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, between September 2021 and March 2022.

Results: Among 331 diagnosed patients with bacterial meningitis, (69.8%) were female and (30.2%) were male. The largest age group comprised young adults, making up (59.5%), followed by those aged 26 to 35 years at (20.8%), 36 to 45 years at (8.5%), 46 to 55 years at (5.7%), 56 to 65 years at (3.0%), 66 to 75 years at (1.5%), and 76 to 90 years at (0.9%). In terms of residence, the majority lived in Kabul (35%), followed by Ghazni (9.4%), Parwan (4.8%), and Ghor (3.9%). Other provinces included Baghlan and Takhar at (3.6%), Kapisa, Logar, Wardak, and Balkh at (3.3%), Samangan and Kunduz at (2.7%), Bamyan and Faryab at (2.4%), Sarpul at (2.1%), and Badakhshan and Paktika at (1.8%). Additionally, Paktya, Zabul, and Daikundi each accounted for (1.5%), Helmand for (1.2%), Badghis and Khost for (0.9%), Nangarhar for (0.6%), and Herat, Nimruz, Laghman, Urozgan, Kandahar, Panjshir, and Juzjan each for (0.3%).

Conclusion: The current hospital-based study found that the majority of patients with bacterial meningitis were female, followed by males, with most of the patients fell within the young adult age group. Additionally, the majority of these patients resided in Kabul. Further research is needed to find the related factors of the meningitis among patients.