Echovirus 18 meningitis in southern Taiwan

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A Murine Model of Dengue Virus-induced Acute Viral Encephalitis-like Disease
04:23

A Murine Model of Dengue Virus-induced Acute Viral Encephalitis-like Disease

Published on: April 28, 2019

Shih-Min Wang1, Tzong-Shiann Ho, Ching-Fen Shen

  • 1Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University and Hospital, Tainan City, Taiwan, Republic of China. edwang@mail.ncku.edu.tw

The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
|October 1, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Eighty children were studied during an echovirus 18 outbreak in Taiwan. Aseptic meningitis occurred in 31%, with a 4% fatality rate in these cases, and echovirus 18 was frequently found in cerebrospinal fluid.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Pediatrics
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Echovirus 18 (EV-18) outbreaks can cause significant pediatric illness.
  • Understanding the clinical spectrum and outcomes of EV-18 infections is crucial for public health management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the clinical characteristics, complications, and outcomes of echovirus 18 infections in young children during a 2006 outbreak in Taiwan.
  • To identify common diagnoses and risk factors associated with severe disease, such as aseptic meningitis.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 80 pediatric cases of echovirus 18 infection.
  • Clinical data collection including diagnoses, comorbidities, and outcomes.
  • Echovirus 18 isolation from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in a subset of patients.

Main Results:

  • Eighty pediatric cases of echovirus 18 infection were identified.
  • Comorbid conditions were present in 20% of patients.
  • Aseptic meningitis complicated 31% of cases, with a 4% case-fatality rate.
  • Pharyngitis/tonsillitis (35%) and vesicular viral exanthem (33%) were the most frequent diagnoses in non-meningitis cases.
  • Echovirus 18 was isolated from 68% of CSF samples.

Conclusions:

  • Echovirus 18 caused a significant number of pediatric infections during the 2006 Taiwan outbreak.
  • Aseptic meningitis is a notable complication with a considerable fatality rate.
  • Prompt diagnosis and management are essential for improving outcomes in children with echovirus 18 infections.

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