Meningitis in Hong Kong children, with special reference to the infrequency of haemophilus and meningococcal infection

Objective: To study the epidemiologic and aetiologic features of meningitis in children in Hong Kong. Methodology: A retrospective study of 85 children resident in the New Territory East region of Hong Kong admitted to a teaching Hospital because of meningitis during a 9 year period. Results: Mycobacterium tuberculosis was the most common aetiological agent accounting for 13 cases (15.3%). Other bacteria accounted for 41 cases (48%); among these one fifth were caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b. The overall admission rates for tuberculous meningitis in Chinese children were 0.76/100 000 (95% CI 0.25‐1.78) and 0.42/100 000 (CI 0.19‐0.8) per year, respectively, for under 5 year olds and under 15 year olds. The overall annual incidence rates of bacterial meningitis other than tuberculous were 5.2/100 000 (CI 3.72‐7.43) and 1.6/100 000 (CI 1.14‐2.29) for Chinese children under 5 years and under 15 years, respectively. The annual incidence of H. influenzae meningitis in Chinese children under 5 years old was low at 1.1/100 000 (0.43‐2.2). All five cases of meningococcal meningitis were in Vietnamese children (under 5 years of age incidence: 13.0/100 000 per year, CI 4.2‐30.3). There were no cases of meningococcal meningitis in Chinese children during the 9 year period. Conclusion: M. tuberculosis was the most common aetiological agent of meningitis in Hong Kong children. The incidence of haemophilus or meningococcal meningitis was very low.