title: Virological testing of cerebrospinal fluid in children aged less than 14 years with a suspected central nervous system infection: A retrospective study on 304 consecutive children from January 2012 to May 2015.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study aimed to describe the prevalence of HSV DNA, VZV DNA, Enterovirus RNA, Parechovirus RNA, CMV DNA, EBV DNA, adenovirus DNA, HHV-6 DNA, HHV-7 DNA, HHV-8 DNA and Parvovirus B19DNA in children aged less 14 years with a suspected viral infection of the central nervous system in a clinical practice setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 2012 and May 2015, cerebrospinal fluids from 304 children were tested with an in-house real-time PCR method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A positive PCR was detected in 64 subjects (21%): the mean number of tests performed in patients who showed a viral infection was 7.5, significantly higher (p = 0.001) with respect to that reported in negative samples (6.4). Enterovirus is the leading virus detected: 12 out of the 37 positive children reported were newborns (85.7% of all the newborns with a positive result). The second most frequently identified virus was HHV-7 (5 positive PCR out of 105 samples tested, 4.8%, if we excluded a child with a concomitant S. pneumoniae isolated), a prevalence significantly higher with respect to VZV (p = 0.02) and to CMV (p = 0.04). HHV-6 was the third most commonly identified aetiology (4.2%). All children were immunocompetent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Only a minority of children had a specific viral aetiology identified: the rate of HHV-7 positivity suggests a routine testing of these viruses within the diagnostic algorithm in immunocompetent paediatric patients. This approach could help to define the clinical role of this herpesvirus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Via Gabelli 63, 35100 Padova, Italy; Microbiology and Virology Unit, Padova University Hospital, Indirizzo: Via Giustiniani, 2, 35128 Padova, Italy. Electronic address: saverio.parisi@unipd.it.
authors.forename: Saverio G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Parisi
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Via Gabelli 63, 35100 Padova, Italy; Microbiology and Virology Unit, Padova University Hospital, Indirizzo: Via Giustiniani, 2, 35128 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Basso
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Via Gabelli 63, 35100 Padova, Italy; Microbiology and Virology Unit, Padova University Hospital, Indirizzo: Via Giustiniani, 2, 35128 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Del Vecchio
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Via Gabelli 63, 35100 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Andreis
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Via Gabelli 63, 35100 Padova, Italy; Microbiology and Virology Unit, Padova University Hospital, Indirizzo: Via Giustiniani, 2, 35128 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Franchin
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Via Gabelli 63, 35100 Padova, Italy; Microbiology and Virology Unit, Padova University Hospital, Indirizzo: Via Giustiniani, 2, 35128 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Federico Dal
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Bello
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Via Gabelli 63, 35100 Padova, Italy; Microbiology and Virology Unit, Padova University Hospital, Indirizzo: Via Giustiniani, 2, 35128 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pagni
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Via Gabelli 63, 35100 Padova, Italy; Microbiology and Virology Unit, Padova University Hospital, Indirizzo: Via Giustiniani, 2, 35128 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Angela
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Biasolo
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Via Gabelli 63, 35100 Padova, Italy; Microbiology and Virology Unit, Padova University Hospital, Indirizzo: Via Giustiniani, 2, 35128 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Manganelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Via Gabelli 63, 35100 Padova, Italy; Microbiology and Virology Unit, Padova University Hospital, Indirizzo: Via Giustiniani, 2, 35128 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barzon
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Via Gabelli 63, 35100 Padova, Italy; Microbiology and Virology Unit, Padova University Hospital, Indirizzo: Via Giustiniani, 2, 35128 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Palù
mesh_terms: D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D000257:Adenoviridae Infections / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000453:epidemiology; D002494:Central Nervous System Infections / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000453:epidemiology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D020803:Encephalitis, Herpes Simplex / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000453:epidemiology; D020804:Encephalitis, Varicella Zoster / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000453:epidemiology; D004770:Enterovirus / Q000235:genetics; D004769:Enterovirus Infections / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000453:epidemiology; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000235:genetics; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000453:epidemiology; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000235:genetics; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000235:genetics; D016199:Herpesvirus 7, Human / Q000235:genetics; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D030061:Parechovirus / Q000235:genetics; D010322:Parvoviridae Infections / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000453:epidemiology; D016732:Parvovirus B19, Human / Q000235:genetics; D010850:Picornaviridae Infections / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019349:Roseolovirus Infections / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000453:epidemiology; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral
keywords: CSF; HHV-7; In house real time PCR