Epidemiology, prevalence and clinical diagnosis of meningitis at Abbassia Fever Hospital, Cairo, 1966-1989.

The United States Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3 and the Abbassia Fever Hospital in Cairo, Egypt have together diagnosed and treated 7809 patients admitted to a meningitis ward since 1966. Aetiological diagnosis was based on clinical evaluation and laboratory studies. Marked increases in annual admissions in 1970-1972, 1980-1982 and 1987-1988 were related to increases in admissions due to meningococcal disease, while in 1977-1981 the increase was due to encephalitis related to Rift Valley fever. Better, rapid diagnostic procedures are needed to enable effective treatment to be given earlier and to reduce mortality rates.