title: [Expression of inflammatory mediators in meningitis].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Infectious diseases cause a systemic inflammatory reaction. In some cases of meningitis it is difficult to determine whether the disease is of bacterial, viral or non-infectious origin. In order to distinguish between bacterial and viral diseases the levels of various inflammatory markers are used to determine the severity of the disease and the clinical prognosis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine whether the levels of different markers can be used to distinguish between bacterial or viral meningitis or non-infectious neurological disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with bacterial meningitis (n= 8), viral meningitis (n= 17), non-infectious neurological diseases (n = 17) and healthy subjects (n = 15) were studied. The levels of soluble CD14 (sCD 14), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and soluble adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) were determined in the blood of all participants and in spinal fluid only in patients who had clinical indication to perform lumbar puncture.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the patients showed significant differences in the levels of blood and CSF markers measured compared to healthy subjects. In the blood, although some differences were significant, there was overlapping between all values of the measured markers in patient blood samples excluding IL-6, for which levels were significantly different between the bacterial and viral meningitis. Interestingly, the levels of all markers showed significant differences among all groups of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among the blood markers examined, IL-6 can be used to distinguish between bacterial and viral diseases. However, the levels of cytokines examined in CSF, can serve to distinguish between bacterial and viral meningitis and non-infectious diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine F, Western Galilee Hospital, Nahariya, Israel. Raymond.Farah@naharia.health.gov.il
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Farah
authors.forename: Ludmila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Freidzon
authors.forename: Shifra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sela
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Michelis
authors.forename: Bella
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sulla
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology*; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000097:blood; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D008587:Meningitis, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D015415:Biomarkers; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors