Haemophilus influenzae Meningitis in School-Aged Children

The relative frequency of meningitis caused by Haemophilus influenzae in school-aged children was determined by reviewing etiologic diagnoses in children 6 to 15 years old admitted to four hospitals from 1974 to 1978. Sixty-five (45%) of 145 patients had aseptic meningitis and 29 (20%) had bacterial meningitis. Thirty-two (22%) of the patients had received antibiotic therapy before diagnosis, and 19 (13%) could not be classified. Six (21%) of the 29 patients with bacterial meningitis had H influenzae meningitis. Although aseptic disease was the most common type of meningitis, initial antibiotic therapy for presumed bacterial meningitis in school-aged children should include adequate coverage for H influenzae.