Meningitis is an infection of the meninges, the membranes that envelop the brain and spinal cord, characterized by high morbidity and mortality and a risk of severe neurological sequelae. Despite the availability of vaccines, cases remain frequent in Brazil. This study aimed to analyze the national panorama of meningitis notifications between 2014 and 2024, assessing temporal and regional distribution, sociodemographic profile, etiology, diagnostic methods and clinical outcomes. Exploratory, descriptive and quantitative study using secondary data obtained from the DATASUS system, covering the entire national territory. Variables analyzed included region, race/skin color, sex, age group, etiology, diagnostic methods, serotyping, confirmatory methods and case evolution. Statistical analysis was performed in Microsoft Excel using Student’s t -tests and ANOVA. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant, with a 95% confidence interval. Between 2014 and 2024, 148,979 meningitis cases were notified in Brazil. The years 2014 and 2018 had the highest rates (11.9% each), followed by 2017 (11.5%) (p=0.57). The Southeast (53.6%) and South (21.9%) regions concentrated most cases (p<0.05). With regard to race/skin color, there was a predominance among White (46.8%) and Brown (31.4%) individuals (p=0.79). Males were more affected (58.7%; p=0.06). The most affected age groups were young adults (20–39 years, 19.6%) and children aged 1–4 years (17.3%) (p<0.05). Viral meningitis (45.6%) and meningitis of unspecified cause (16.4%) were the most frequently notified (p<0.05), highlighting weaknesses in diagnostic methods and etiologic identification. Serotyping was omitted in 96.9% of records; among typed cases, serogroups C (1.8%) and B (1.0%) were the most prevalent (p<0.05). The most frequently used confirmatory methods were cytochemical CSF analysis (60.1%) and culture (12.5%) (p<0.05). Hospital discharge was the most common outcome (76.9%; p<0.05). The study reveals a high incidence of meningitis in the period analyzed, with greater impact among men and children. Limitations in etiologic identification and the high rate of incomplete records reinforce the need to improve diagnostic methods and prevention strategies, especially in terms of epidemiological surveillance and vaccination coverage.
Treml et al. (Sun,) studied this question.