Molecular epidemiology of viral meningitis in children in south east of Caspian Sea, Iran

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

• Fatemeh Cheraghali ¹
• Abdolvahab Moradi ²
• Somayeh Azadfar ²
• Naeme Javid ²
• Alijan Tabarraei ²

¹ Infectious Diseases Research Centre; Department of pediatrics; Golestan University of Medical Sciences

² Infectious Diseases Research Centre; Department of Microbiology, Golestan University of Medical Sciences

Abstract

Viruses are the most common causes of aseptic meningitis. Early detection, treatment and management of viral meningitis are priority. This study aimed to evaluate common viral meningitis in children referred to Taleghani pediatrics hospital in Gorgan, south east of Caspian Sea, Iran. In this descriptive study CSF and blood samples were taken from 40 children with negative bacterial culture who were referred with meningitis symptoms since Jun 2008 till Sep 2010. Samples were used for viral, biochemical and cytological assays. DNA extraction was done by high pure viral nucleic acid kit of viral nucleic acid from CSF. PCR and Real-time PCR were performed for detection of viruses. Demographic, clinical, biochemical and cytological data were collected and entered in SPSS version 18. All cases with p<0.05 were considered as significant. In overall 12 (30%) viruses were detected by distribution of 5 (41/7%) Enterovirus, 4 (33/3%) Herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) and 3 (25%) Mumps virus. Patients aged between 1 month to 10 years old with mean of 3 years old of which 92/5% were living in urban area. All positive cases showed fever and CSF Pleosytosis with no bacterial growth, gram staining and urinary tract infection. In conclusion, the results showed that clinical and biochemical analyses are not sufficient for certain diagnosis of meningitis in children and molecular assay is recommended to apply for early detection, treatment and management of viral meningitis.

Keywords

• Viruses
• Meningitis
• CSF
• PCR
• Real Time PCR

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