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Published on: December 2, 2012

An outbreak of echovirus meningitis in children

Narayanan Sathish1, Julius Xavier Scott, R V Shaji

  • 1Department of Clinical Virology, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore, India.

Indian Pediatrics
|May 5, 2004
PubMed

Insights

An enterovirus outbreak caused aseptic meningitis in children, with echovirus serotypes 3, 4, and 30 identified. Most children recovered quickly after hospitalization.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Virology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Aseptic meningitis is a significant cause of pediatric hospital admissions.
  • Enteroviruses are a common cause of viral meningitis in children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate an outbreak of aseptic meningitis in children at a tertiary care hospital.
  • To identify the causative agent of the outbreak through virological analysis.

Main Methods:

  • Clinical data and stool samples were collected from 25 hospitalized children.
  • Stool samples underwent virological investigations, including cell culture and RT-PCR.
  • Partial sequencing of the enterovirus genome (VP1 region) was performed.

Main Results:

  • Fever and vomiting were the most common symptoms; CSF analysis revealed lymphocytic pleocytosis.
  • Enterovirus cytopathogenic effect (CPE) was observed in 14 of 25 stool samples.
  • RT-PCR confirmed enterovirus RNA in these 14 samples, with sequencing identifying echovirus serotypes 3, 4, and 30.

Conclusions:

  • Enteroviruses, specifically echoviruses, were the cause of the aseptic meningitis outbreak.
  • The identified echovirus serotypes are associated with pediatric meningitis.
  • Children experienced rapid recovery and discharge, indicating a generally favorable prognosis.

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