Epidemiological characteristics of bacterial meningitis

Bacterial meningitis continues to be one of the most pressing problems of modern infectology and epidemiology. According to the World Health Organization, about 1.2 million cases of bacterial meningitis are registered annually in the world, with mortality reaching 10–30 %. The aim is to identify the epidemiological, clinical and laboratory features of bacterial meningitis, as well as factors affecting the outcomes of the disease in adults. The predominance of pneumococcal (47.1 %) and meningococcal (26.5 %) etiology in the structure of bacterial meningitis was revealed. High mortality in pneumococcal meningitis (31.3 %) and the association of adverse outcomes with comorbid pathology were established. Specific markers have been found in the cerebrospinal fluid for predicting outcomes.