Detection of enteroviruses in pediatric patients with aseptic meningitis

• Hundred Egyptian children with aseptic meningitis are investigated.
• Enterovirus RT-PCR is rapid and efficient diagnostic tool over virus culture.
• Higher incidence of enterovirus meningitis is found in lower age group.

Aseptic meningitis is an acute viral infection of the central nervous system that occurs most frequently in infants and young children. This study was conducted on 100 pediatric patients with ages range from 1.5 months to 6 years. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens were obtained with criteria of aseptic CNS infections as documented by pleocytosis, negative Gram stain and negative bacterial culture. Clinical and CSF findings of the affected children were analyzed and CSF specimens were submitted to viral culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques to determine the enteroviral etiology. Fifty six percent patients had positive PCR results for the enteroviral genome, compared with 20% by virus culture. We can conclude that PCR is a rapid, reliable and sensitive diagnostic tool for the detection of enteroviral infections. A positive EV-PCR result may affect clinical decision making and may significantly alter the medical care offered to infected patients.