The purpose of this retrospective study was to describe epidemiological, clinical, bacteriological and outcome features of purulent meningitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae in adult patients hospitalized in the infectious diseases clinic of the Fann University Hospital in Dakar, Senegal from 1995 to 2004. A total of 73 cases of pneumococcal meningitis were recorded during the study period. Streptococcus pneumoniae was the second cause of purulent meningitis after meningococcal infection. Sickle-cell disease (n=3) and HIV infection (n=9) were the main underlying factors and pneumonia was the main portal of entry into the CNS (51.8%). Coma was a frequent complication (61.6%). Penicillin-nonsusceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae (PNSP) accounted for 27.3% of isolated strains. However strains were sensitive to third-generation cephalosporin (100%) and chloramphenicol (68.2%) which were the most frequently used antibiotics. The mortality rate was 69.8% and neurological complications occurred in 13.7% of patients. The main unfavorable prognostic factors were cardiovascular collapse and/or coma at the time of admission and detection of pneumococcal strains by direct examination of CSF. The high mortality of pneumococcal meningitis in adult patients in Dakar shows the need to improve intensive care facilities and the growing incidence of PNSP underlines the requirement for better control of antibiotic prescription.