Characteristic | N. meningitidis meningitis (n = 55) | S. pneumoniae meningitis (n = 15) | L. monocytogenes meningitis (n = 5) | Other (n = 5) | Meningitis of unknown origin (n = 79) | Total (n = 159) | P value |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Age — years median (IQR) | 28 (21–50) | 49 (40–64) | 54 (37–81) | 33 (30.5–36) | 36 (23–60) | 36 (24–56) | 0.019 |
Male sex — no. (%) | 27 (49.1) | 8 (53.3) | 1 (20.0) | 5 (100.0) | 41 (51.9) | 82 (51.6) | 0.155 |
Route of acquisition, n (%) | |||||||
 Unknown | 53 (96.4) | 11 (73.3) | 5 (100.0) | 5 (100.0) | 77 (97.5) | 151 (95.0) | 0.045 |
 Otitis | 1 (1.8) | 3 (20.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (2.5) | 6 (3.8) |  |
 Sinusitis | 1 (1.8) | 1 (6.7) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0) | 2 (1.3) |  |
Headache, n (%) | 50 (90.9) | 10 (66.7) | 4 (80.0) | 4 (80.0) | 66 (83.5) | 134 (84.3) | 0.160 |
Fever ≥38 °C, n (%) | 39 (70.9) | 9 (60.0) | 3 (60.0) | 4 (80.0) | 54 (68.4) | 109 (68.6) | 0.876 |
Nausea, n (%) | 26 (47.3) | 10 (66.7) | 5 (100.0) | 3 (60.0) | 44 (55.7) | 88 (55.3) | 0.181 |
Vertigo, n (%) | 11 (20.0) | 2 (13.3) | 2 (40.0) | 3 (60.0) | 25 (31.6) | 43 (27.0) | 0.122 |
Seizures, n (%) | 4 (7.3) | 1 (6.7) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (1.3) | 6 (3.8) | 0.326 |
Hemorrhagic rash, n (%) | 36 (65.5) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 31 (39.2) | 67 (42.1) | < 0.001 |
Neck stiffness, n (%) | 39 (72.2) | 9 (60.0) | 4 (80.0) | 4 (80.0) | 72 (91.1) | 128 (81.0) | 0.007 |
Clinical triad, n (%) | 38 (69.1) | 6 (40.0) | 3 (60.0) | 2 (40.0) | 45 (56.9) | 94 (59.1) | 0.1066 |
Comorbidities, n (%) | |||||||
 • Cardiovascular disease | 9 (16.4) | 4 (26.7) | 2 (40.0) | 1 (20.0) | 21 (26.6) | 37 (23.3) | 0.477 |
 • Diabetes mellitus | 1 (1.8) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (1.3) | 2 (1.3) (5.0) | > 0.999 |
 • Othera | 7 (12.7) | 3 (20.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 12 (15.2) | 22 (13.8) | 0.867 |