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CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM INFECTIONS IN THE RAINFOREST ZONE OF NIGERIA
Abstract
Objectives: To ascertain incidence rates of central nervous system infections and provide
information for health care planners.
Design: A two-stage screening through supervised case referrals and diagnostic evaluation
at referral centre to establish a register of CNS infections.
Setting: A rural community in the rainforest zone of Nigeria with land area of 186500m2,
average daily temperature of 2g°C, annual rainfall of 2080 mm, adult population of 109851
and served by 26 primary, three secondary and twelve comprehensive care facilities. More
than two per cent of the populations live in waterlogged areas.
Subjects: Adults aged sixteen years and above, constituting incident cases of CNS infections.
Main outcome measures: Incident CNS infections per 100,000 populations averaged over a
two year observational period.
Results: Incidence rates were 3.6,4.1,2.3,09,1.8,0.9 for acute bacterial meningitis, aseptic
meningitis, rabies encephalitis, non-rabies encephalitis, tuberculous meningitis and chronic
non-tuberculous meningoencephalitis, respectively. Syphilitic neuroarthropathy had 0.46.
Conclusions: Mortality fromacutepyogenic meningitis and tuberculous meningitis remained
distressingly high. Aseptic meningitis had the highest incidence rate, yet remained inadequately
emphasised. Rabies encephalitis was the third commonest cause of CNS infection in the area.
information for health care planners.
Design: A two-stage screening through supervised case referrals and diagnostic evaluation
at referral centre to establish a register of CNS infections.
Setting: A rural community in the rainforest zone of Nigeria with land area of 186500m2,
average daily temperature of 2g°C, annual rainfall of 2080 mm, adult population of 109851
and served by 26 primary, three secondary and twelve comprehensive care facilities. More
than two per cent of the populations live in waterlogged areas.
Subjects: Adults aged sixteen years and above, constituting incident cases of CNS infections.
Main outcome measures: Incident CNS infections per 100,000 populations averaged over a
two year observational period.
Results: Incidence rates were 3.6,4.1,2.3,09,1.8,0.9 for acute bacterial meningitis, aseptic
meningitis, rabies encephalitis, non-rabies encephalitis, tuberculous meningitis and chronic
non-tuberculous meningoencephalitis, respectively. Syphilitic neuroarthropathy had 0.46.
Conclusions: Mortality fromacutepyogenic meningitis and tuberculous meningitis remained
distressingly high. Aseptic meningitis had the highest incidence rate, yet remained inadequately
emphasised. Rabies encephalitis was the third commonest cause of CNS infection in the area.
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