Epidemiological Study of Meningitis Outbreak of Children in Halabjah City and Sulaymaniyah Governorate, Kurdistan region, Iraq

Chiman Hameed  Saeed; Suhayla Hamad  Shareef; Peshawa Yunis  Aziz; Ramiar Kamal  Kheder; Zeayd Fadhil  Saeed

doi:10.24996/ijs.2026.67.7.10

Authors

Chiman Hameed Saeed Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Erbil Technical Health & Medical College, Erbil Polytechnic University, Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
Suhayla Hamad Shareef Department of Biology, College of Education, Salahaddin University-Erbil, Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq / Department of Medical Analysis, Faculty of Applied Science, Tishk International University, Erbil 44001, Kurdistan Region, Iraq https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7241-9885
Peshawa Yunis Aziz Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Technical College of Applied Science, Sulaimani Polytechnic University, Sulaymaniyah 46002, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
Ramiar Kamal Kheder Medical Laboratory Science Department, College of Science, University of Raparin, Rania, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq
Zeayd Fadhil Saeed Nursing Department, Al Furat Al Awsat Technical University, Samawah, Iraq

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24996/ijs.2026.67.7.10

Keywords:

Meningitis, Children, Septic, Aseptic, Outbreak

Abstract

Meningitis is a very dangerous and deadly infection that is linked to a high rate of morbidity and mortality in children. Since April 2023, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq has been plagued by an alarming meningitis outbreak, so this study was conducted to look at meningitis in children. Epidemiology has been done using test results from suspected cases at Wafaa Hospital in Halabja City and Dr. Jamal Ahmad Rashid's Pediatric Teaching Hospital in Sulaymaniyah Governorate between March and July 2023. 256 children <15 years old who were admitted with meningitis. Medical records, clinical information and Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis were obtained. A further classification of meningitis into aseptic and septic forms was made based on laboratory results. A total of 256 children were confirmed to have meningitis, 55 (21.5%) of whom had septic meningitis and 201 (78.5%) had aseptic meningitis. The statistical analysis revealed that almost 118 (46.1%) of patients who had septic or aseptic meningitis occurred in children < 5 years old, and the most common cause was aseptic meningitis. Infection was significantly higher in boys than in girls (p< 0.05). There was a significant association (p < 0.05) between the cause of meningitis and C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cells (WBC) count, Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) protein and CSF glucose. A statistically significant difference (p-value= 0.02) in the prevalence of male preponderance between older and younger age groups among children with meningitis. Meningitis was shown to be greatly influenced by seasonal change; most cases were observed in May. The seasonal associations between meningitis infection and age were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Most cases of meningitis were caused by viral infections. Meningitis has a major impact on children <5 years old, with males predominating. In our community meningitis occurs mainly in May. Seasonality was not influenced by the patients' ages.