Acute bacterial meningitis remains a major cause of mortality and long term neurological
sequelae worldwide. There is a need for periodic review of bacterial meningitis worldwide,
since the pathogens responsible for infection vary with time, geography and patient’s age. A
retrospective analysis of 7759 clinically suspected cases of meningitis, admitted during a span
of 3 years from February 2005 to February 2008 was undertaken. 4750 were males and 3509
were females. Total 43 bacteria were isolated from 7759 cases with isolation rate of 0.55%.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the commonest isolate 23.25% (10/43) followed by Klebsiella
pneumoniae 20.93% (9/43), Acinetobacter spp. 20.93% (9/43), Streptococcus pneumoniae 18.60%
(8/43), while other isolates were Neisseria meningitidis 4.65% (2/43), Streptococcus pyogenes
4.65% (2/43), Enterococcus spp. 2.23% (1/43) and other Streptococcus spp. 2.23% (1/43). Antibiotic
susceptibility pattern showed that out of 10 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated maximum
70% (7/10) were sensitive to Piperacillin, 60% (6/10) to Chloramphenicol and Netilmicin
each, 50% (5/10) to Piperacillin- Tazobactam combination, while 40% (4/10) were sensitive to
ceftazidime. Klebsiella pneumoniae showed maximum sensitivity to Netilmicin 66% (6/9) followed
by Chloramphenicol, Amikacin and Ciprofloxacin 44% (4/9 each). Acinetobacter spp.
showed maximum sensitivity to Netilmicin 50% (5/10) followed by Ciprofloxacin 30% (3/10).
Amongst Gram positive isolates Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes and Enterococcus
spp. were 100% sensitive to almost all the antibiotics tested, except Streptococcus
spp. which was sensitive only to Amikacin and Vancomycin (Table 1). In conclusion, judicious
use of antibiotics will prevent the emergence of drug resistance among Gram negative bacilli,
so that morbidity and mortality can be reduced