title: [The use of electron microscopy and virus isolation in the diagnosis of aseptic neuroinfections].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In aseptic neuroinfections, the etiology is usually known in 50-70% of cases. The aim was to increase the rates using electron microscopy (EM) and virus isolation in cell cultures.
  
  
  METHODS
  The prospective study included 34 patients with aseptic neuroinfections hospitalized at the Department of Infectious Diseases in Ostrava fromJuly to November 2012. EM examined cerebrospinal fluid of all patients and virus isolation in tissue cultures was performed in all cerebrospinal fluid samples. Cerebrospinal fluid was examined by polymerase chain reaction for enteroviruses in 30 patients and for herpes simplex virus 1 and 2 in 29 patients. Detection of antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi and tick-borne encephalitis was performed in all 34 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Possible etiological agents were discovered in 31 out of 34 patients (91%), with one agent being found in 23 patients (68%) and two agents being detected in 8 patients (24%). EM revealed the agents in 26 patients and virus isolation was successful in 10 patients. EM was the only method to identify 10 agents. A group of 23 patients with a single agent detected included 14 patients with enteroviral meningitis, 4 patients with Lyme borreliosis and 4 patients with tick-borne encephalitis; EM detected an undefined virus in the last patient. An unusual group of 8 patients with two agents detected comprised 5 patients with enteroviruses and spirochetes, 2 patients with tick-borne encephalitis and undefined viruses and 1 patient with a spirochete and an undetermined virus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EM can aid in explaining the etiology of aseptic neuroinfections. However, the clinical interpretation of results remains problematic, such as detection of unknown viruses or two possible agents in 8 out of 34 patients.
authors.affiliation: Klinika infekcního lékarství, Fakultni nemocnice Ostrava. lenka.petrousova@gmail.com
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Petrousová
authors.affiliation: Klinika infekcního lékarství, Fakultni nemocnice Ostrava.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Roznovský
authors.affiliation: Oddelení virologie, Zdravotní ústav se sídlem v Ostrave.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zelená
authors.affiliation: Oddelení virologie, Zdravotní ústav se sídlem v Ostrave.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pomiklová
authors.affiliation: Oddelení virologie, Zdravotní ústav se sídlem v Ostrave.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vidlicková
authors.affiliation: Oddeleni molekulární biologie, Zdravotní ústav se sídlem v Ostrave.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mrázek
mesh_terms: D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004675:Encephalitis, Tick-Borne / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D004770:Enterovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004769:Enterovirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D008587:Meningitis, Viral / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D011446:Prospective Studies