Table 1 Characteristics of the study population for all BM cases

Demographics

   Age (y)

2.0 (0.5-5.0)

71/2477 (2.9)

   Male sex

1450/2471

58.7% (56.7-60.6)

6/2477 (0.2)

   Duration of symptoms (hrs)

24.0 (24.0-48.0)

348/2477 (14.0)

   Duration of symptoms < 24 h

473/2129

22.2% (20.5-24.1)

348/2477 (14.0)

Symptoms & signs at presentation

Body temperature (°C)

39.0 (38.5-39.6)

1235/2477 (49.9)

   Fever > 38

1158/1242

93.2% (91.7-94.5)

1235/2477 (49.9)

   Headache^a

871/1112

78.3% (75.8-80.7)

218/1330 (16.4)

   Vomiting

1193/2074

57.5% (55.4-59.7)

403/2477 (16.3)

   Meningeal signs^b

1212/1477

82.1% (80.0-84.0)

214/1691 (12.7)

   Haemorrhagic rash

967/2466

39.2% (37.3-41.2)

11/2477 (0.4)

   Seizures

337/1777

19.0% (17.2-20.9)

700/2477 (28.3)

   Bulging fontanelle^c

416/918

45.3% (42.1-48.6)

300/1218 (24.6)

   Grunting^c

472/952

49.6% (46.4-52.8)

266/1218 (21.8)

   Poor feeding

449/1611

27.9% (25.7-30.1)

866/2477 (35.0)

   Shock

209/1689

12.4% (10.9-14.1)

788/2477 (31.8)

   Coma

155/1671

9.3% (7.9-10.8)

806/2477 (32.5)

Indexes of inflammation in CSF at presentation

   White-cell count (cells/mm³)

1468.0 (268.5-5175.0)

84/2477 (3.4)

   ≤ 100 WBC/mm³

396/2,393

16.5% (15.1-18.1)

84/2477 (3.4)

   ≤ 1000 WBC/mm³

1063/2393

44.4% (42.4-46.4)

84/2477 (3.4)

   % polymorphonuclears

88.0 (75.0-95.0)

507/2477 (20.5)

   % lymphocytes

13.0 (6.0-27.0)

1282/2477 (51.8)

   Glucose (mg/dl)

42.0 (18.25-58.0)

217/2477 (8.8)

   Protein (mg/dl)

90.0 (42.0-190.0)

210/2477 (8.5)

   Positive CSF culture

972/2082

46.7% (44.5-48.9)

395/2477 (15.9)

   Positive CSF Gram stain

792/2022

39.2% (37.0-41.3)

455/2477 (18.4)

Indexes of inflammation in blood at presentation

   White-cell count (cells/mm³)

14000 (9500-19700)

186/2477 (7.5)

   % polymorphonuclears

73.0 (58.0-84.0)

280/2477 (11.3)

   % lymphocytes

19.0 (10.0-33.0)

456/2477 (18.4)

   Positive Blood culture

284/1668

17.0% (15.3-18.9)

809/2477 (32.7)