[Meningitis by Toscana virus in Spain: description of 17 cases].
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to analyze the clinical and epidemiological data from the first series of patients with meningitis by Toscana virus in Spain.


METHODS
We analyzed a total of 724 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from patients with suspicion of aseptic meningitis for virus isolation in cell culture. The clinical records of patients in whom Toscana virus was isolated were analyzed.


RESULTS
Toscana virus was isolated in CSF in 17 patients (7% of all viral isolates). The first case was diagnosed in June 1988 and the last one in August 2002. The mean age was 27 years (range: 10-64 years). Most patients were based in rural area (n = 11, 64.7%). Most common symptoms were headache (holocranial or focal) present in all patients and moderate fever observed in 76.5% of them with a mean duration of 48 h (range: 18 h-5 days). Nuchal rigidity was present in 9 patients (53%). All cases were seen between June and October, and predominantly in August (53%). The outcome was favorable in all cases, and the mean time of duration of the disease was 7 days (range: 3-10 days).


CONCLUSIONS
Toscana virus must be taken into account among those agents responsible of lymphocytic meningitis in Spain.
Navarro
José María
JM
Servicio de Microbiología. Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves. Granada. España. josem.navarro.sspa@juntadeandalucia.es
Fernández-Roldán
Concepción
C
Pérez-Ruiz
Mercedes
M
Sanbonmatsu
Sara
S
de la Rosa
Manuel
M
Sánchez-Seco
M Paz
MP
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008587:Meningitis, Viral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010217:Phlebotomus Fever / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D029301:Sandfly fever Naples virus