Childhood bacterial meningitis trends in Japan from 2007 to 2008

We surveyed pediatrics bacterial meningitis epidemiology from January 2007 to December 2008 in Japan, with the following results: Cases numbered 287-160 male and 127 female-equivalent to 1.54-1.62 of 1,000 pediatric hospitalization per year. Children under 1-year-old accounted for the highest number of cases, which decreased with increasing age. Haemophilus influenzae was the most common cause of infection, followed by Streptococcus pneumoniae, group B streptococcus (GBS), and Escherichia coli. GBS and E. coli were major pathogens in children under 4 months of age, while H. influenzae and S. pneumoniae mainly accounted for those over 4 months of age. Susceptibility tests showed that 51% of H. influenzae isolates and 56.5% of S. pneumoniae isolates in 2008 were drug-resistant. Ampicillin combined with cephem antibiotics effective against GBS, E. coli, and Listeria, were mainly used to initially treat those under 4 months of age. In those over 4 months of age, carbapenem antibiotics are effective against PRSP and cephem antibiotics against H. influenza.