biostudies-literatureUnknown269(7)Volk SLudwig-Maximilians-Universität München<h4>Background and objectives</h4>In 2020, a wide range of hygiene measures was implemented to mitigate infections caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In consequence, pulmonary infections due to other respiratory pathogens also decreased. Here, we evaluated the number of bacterial and viral meningitis and encephalitis cases during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.<h4>Methods</h4>In a multicentre retrospective analysis of data from January 2016 until December 2020, numbers of patients diagnosed with bacterial meningitis and other types of CNS infections (such as viral meningitis and encephalitis) at 26 German hospitals were studied. Furthermore, the number of common meningitis-preceding ear-nose-throat infections (sinusitis, mastoiditiJournal of neurology3389-3399https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8938731biostudies-literatureDecline in the number of patients with meningitis in German hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic.PMC8938731Neumann BVolk SOttomeyer CReimann GZimmermann JSalih FHuttner HBGunther AHerzig-Nichtweiss JBerghoff MPelz JOBarlinn KPfister HWAlonso AWittstock MScheibe FUrbanek CHeckelmann JBinder TSchirotzek ISchonenberger SLuger SSchramm PKlein MKoedel UOnur OALochner PNiesen WDPfirrmann MDohmen CLang TTotzeck AWobker GfalseDecline in the number of patients with meningitis in German hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic.<h4>Background and objectives</h4>In 2020, a wide range of hygiene measures was implemented to mitigate infections caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In consequence, pulmonary infections due to other respiratory pathogens also decreased. Here, we evaluated the number of bacterial and viral meningitis and encephalitis cases during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.<h4>Methods</h4>In a multicentre retrospective analysis of data from January 2016 until December 2020, numbers of patients diagnosed with bacterial meningitis and other types of CNS infections (such as viral meningitis and encephalitis) at 26 German hospitals were studied. Furthermore, the number of common meningitis-preceding ear-nose-throat infections (sinusitis, mastoiditi2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Jul2025-04-04T08:24:19.73Z2024-11-15T17:03:46.743ZS-EPMC89387313531638810.1007/s00415-022-11034-w