Epidemiological and etiological characteristics of viral meningitis for hospitalized pediatric patients in Yunnan, China

Abstract

Background: Viral infection is the most common cause of aseptic meningitis. The purpose of this study was to identify the viruses responsible for aseptic meningitis to better understand the clinical presentations of this disease. Method: Between March 2009 and February 2010, we collected 297 cerebrospinal fluid specimens from children with aseptic meningitis admitted to a pediatric hospital in Yunnan (China). Viruses were detected by using “in house” real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction or reverse-transcription real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction from these samples. Phylogenetic analyses were conducted using the Molecular Evolutionary Genetic Analysis version 7.0 software, with the neighbor-joining method. Results: Viral infection was diagnosed in 35 of the 297 children (11.8%). The causative viruses were identified to be enteroviruses in 25 cases (71.4%), varicella-zoster virus in 5 cases (14.3%), herpes simplex virus 1 in 2 cases (5.7%), and herpes simplex virus 2, Epstein–Barr virus, and human herpesvirus 6 in 1 case each (2.9% each). Of the enteroviruses, coxsackievirus B5 was the most frequently detected serotype (10/25 cases; 40.0%) and all coxsackievirus B5 strains belonged to C group. Conclusions: In the study, a causative virus was only found in the minority of cases, of them, enteroviruses were the most frequently detected viruses in patients with viral meningitis, followed by varicella-zoster virus and herpes simplex virus. Our findings underscore the need for enhanced surveillance and etiological study of aseptic meningitis.

Viral Meningitis (Enterovirus) Outbreak in The Pediatric Population of Sulaymaniyah Governorate, Iraq: A Multi-Center Experience

“…Meningitis, with its diverse etiological strains, remains a significant and recurrent global health challenge, with viral meningitis capturing a sizable share of this burden [1]. Our indepth exploration into the recent viral meningitis outbreak encompassing 116 pediatric cases from the Sulaimanyiah Governorate in Iraq provides a timely addition to the current understanding of this disease's behavior in diverse geographical settings.…”

“…Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, which is a serious condition with potential long-term complications, especially when it affects pediatric populations [1]. Generally, the yearly occurrence remains unclear due to insufficient reporting of the situation.…”

“…Regional studies often lack the scale or comparative data to provide broader insights, while global overviews can sometimes miss the unique nuances of specific areas or communities, especially as there is limited data from developing countries, such as Iraq. Moreover, to date, there is no surveillance system for the condition [1,10]. Transmission of enteroviruses can occur through respiratory secretions or via the fecal-oral route.…”

Using Baidu Index Data to Improve Chickenpox Surveillance in Yunnan, China: Infodemiology Study

“…However, attention to the management and elimination of chickenpox public health emergencies in rural elementary schools and kindergartens is still insufficient, and the problem of untimely reporting of chickenpox incidence remains. Yunnan Province needs to take effective measures to suppress the spread and prevalence of chickenpox [ 8 ].…”

Down-regulated TAB1 suppresses the replication of Coxsackievirus B5 via activating the NF-κB pathways through interaction with viral 3D polymerase

“…In Brazil, the CVB5 strain had been derived from cerebrospinal fluid and stool samples from patients with aseptic meningitis or acute flaccid paralysis [ 2 ]. In the analysis of viral meningitis cases in China (Yunnan province), 70% of the cases were caused by enterovirus infection, among which CVB5 accounted for the highest proportion [ 7 ]. Consequently, the development of antiviral drugs and vaccines is critical to prevent CVB5 infection.…”