Salmonella meningitis in children in Blantyre, Malawi, 1996-1999

Sixty-one episodes of Salmonella meningitis were identified during a 3-year period from February 1996 to January 1999 inclusive. These accounted for 6.8% of all the acute bacterial meningitis cases seen during this time. In contrast, only two children were admitted with Salmonella meningitis in 1982. The increase may reflect the rise in HIV disease and the associated increase in Salmonella septicaemia. All but one child were under 2 years of age, only six children were well nourished and anaemia was common. The prognosis was poor: 33 (58%) died, 19 made a full recovery and five developed sequelae. Two children relapsed, one of whom died. Patients were routinely treated with chloramphenicol, to which all isolates were sensitive in vitro. The poor outcomes suggest that an alternative antibiotic policy is required.