title: Epidemiological features of viral encephalitis in Cangzhou of China with use of multiplex RT-PCR for five RNA viruses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  With use of multiplex RT-PCR testing the five RNA viruses associated with viral encephalitis, the aim of research is to find out the epidemiological features of viral encephalitis in Cangzhou of China.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients hospitalized in Cangzhou central hospital with the diagnosis of viral encephalitis from January 2010 to December 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. The sensitivity and specificity of multiplex RT-PCR was compared with ELISA through testing CSF samples of enterovirus (EVs), Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), mumps virus (MUV), measles virus (MV) and rubella virus (RV).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Disease incidence of viral encephalitis in Cangzhou of China was 18.6 per 100 thousand, and the main pathogen focused on EVs, MUV, JEV, MV and RV, which positive rate were 27.8%, 14.4%, 12.2%, 6.7% and 3.3% respectively. The sensitivity and specificity were all higher than ELISA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The most common pathogens responsible for viral encephalitis in Cangzhou, Hebei province, China, were EVs, and the multiplex RT-PCR was a rapid, sensitive, accurate method of testing the viruses responsible for causing these illnesses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Central Laboratory, Cangzhou Central Hospital, Cangzhou 061001, China. Electronic address: kong_xiangjun115@163.com.
authors.forename: Xiangjun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.affiliation: Department of Central Laboratory, Cangzhou Central Hospital, Cangzhou 061001, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Central Laboratory, Cangzhou Central Hospital, Cangzhou 061001, China.
authors.forename: Kehun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Central Laboratory, Cangzhou Central Hospital, Cangzhou 061001, China.
authors.forename: Hu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Central Laboratory, Cangzhou Central Hospital, Cangzhou 061001, China.
authors.forename: Baohui
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Central Laboratory, Cangzhou Central Hospital, Cangzhou 061001, China.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Central Laboratory, Cangzhou Central Hospital, Cangzhou 061001, China.
authors.forename: Chunxue
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ji
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000821:virology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D018792:Encephalitis, Viral / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060885:Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012328:RNA Viruses / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Epidemiological feature; Multiplex RT-PCR; Viral encephalitis