title: Etiology of aseptic meningitis and clinical characteristics in immune-competent adults.
abstract: Viral meningitis is the most common cause of aseptic meningitis. Use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has increased the ability to determine the etiology of viral meningitis. This study used PCR analysis to evaluate the etiology of aseptic meningitis in 177 previously healthy adults over a 5-year period, as well as analyzing the clinical characteristics, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) findings, and prognosis according to each etiology. The most frequent cause of aseptic meningitis was enterovirus (EV), followed by varicella zoster virus (VZV). Patients with EV meningitis were significantly younger than those with VZV meningitis. The percentage of lymphocytes in white blood cell counts and protein concentrations in the CSF differed significantly among patients with EV, VZV and meningitis of undetermined etiology. Younger age and lower percentage of lymphocyte and protein level in CSF analysis may be suggestive of EV meningitis. Further prospective studies are warranted to identify the correlations between the clinical characteristics and the etiologies of meningitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Asan Medical Center, Ulsan University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Su-Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Gangdong Kyung Hee University Hospital, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hye-Yeon
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Kwang-Ryul
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Young Chul
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Youn
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hae-Won
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Shin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008582:Meningitis, Aseptic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011379:Prognosis; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014780:Viruses / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins
keywords: aseptic meningitis; cerebrospinal fluid; etiology; signs and symptoms