Enteroviral central nervous system infections in children of the region of monastir, Tunisia: diagnosis, laboratory findings of cerebrospinal fluid and clinical manifestations.

ABSTRACT: Human enteroviruses (HEV) are one of the major causes of central nervous system (CNS) infections in pediatrics. A prospective study was conducted to assess the epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of enterovirus (EV) infections of the CNS in children under 15-years-old, suspected of having viral CNS infections and admitted to the Pediatric Department of Monastir University Hospital, Tunisia. Enteroviral RNA was detected by 5' NCR nested RT-PCR assay in 33 % (20 out of 60) of cerebrospinal fluid specimens, whereas only six samples (10 %) were EV positive in cell culture. EV-positive patients were clustered according to their clinical manifestations, predominantly diagnosed as aseptic meningitis (65 %) and meningoencephalitis (20 %). Fever, headache, vomiting, and neck s

SUBMITTER: El Hiar R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3550789 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature