title: Streptococcus suis, an important cause of adult bacterial meningitis in northern Vietnam.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Streptococcus suis can cause severe systemic infection in adults exposed to infected pigs or after consumption of undercooked pig products. S. suis is often misdiagnosed, due to lack of awareness and improper testing. Here we report the first fifty cases diagnosed with S. suis infection in northern Viet Nam.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 2007, diagnostics for S. suis were set up at a national hospital in Hanoi. That year there were 43 S. suis positive cerebrospinal fluid samples, of which S. suis could be cultured in 32 cases and 11 cases were only positive by PCR. Seven patients were blood culture positive for S. suis but CSF culture and PCR negative; making a total of 50 patients with laboratory confirmed S. suis infection in 2007. The number of S. suis cases peaked during the warmer months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  S. suis was commonly diagnosed as a cause of bacterial meningitis in adults in northern Viet Nam. In countries where there is intense and widespread exposure of humans to pigs, S. suis can be an important human pathogen.
authors: Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, National Institute of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Hanoi, Viet Nam. Hwertheim@oucru.org
authors: Heiman F L
authors: HF
authors: Wertheim
authors: Huyen Nguyen
authors: HN
authors: Nguyen
authors: Walter
authors: W
authors: Taylor
authors: Trinh Thi Minh
authors: TT
authors: Lien
authors: Hoa Thi
authors: HT
authors: Ngo
authors: Thai Quoc
authors: TQ
authors: Nguyen
authors: Bich Ngoc Thi
authors: BN
authors: Nguyen
authors: Ha Hong
authors: HH
authors: Nguyen
authors: Ha Minh
authors: HM
authors: Nguyen
authors: Cap Trung
authors: CT
authors: Nguyen
authors: Trinh Tuyet
authors: TT
authors: Dao
authors: Trung Vu
authors: TV
authors: Nguyen
authors: Annette
authors: A
authors: Fox
authors: Jeremy
authors: J
authors: Farrar
authors: Constance
authors: C
authors: Schultsz
authors: Hien Duc
authors: HD
authors: Nguyen
authors: Kinh Van
authors: KV
authors: Nguyen
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Horby
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D017011:Streptococcus suis / Q000378:metabolism*; D013552:Swine; D014744:Vietnam