[Acute meningoencephalitis caused by non-poliomyelitic enterovirus]

Enterovirus are ubiquitous pathogenic agents, whose only hosts are human. Their protean clinical presentation does not allow an etiological diagnosis grounded only on clinical basis. Despite their known neurotropism, a symptomatic infection of the central nervous system is not the rule. Nevertheless, with the ecological changes induced by the viral vaccines introduced during the last decades and the frequency of infection by these agents, especially among children, non-poliomyelitic enterovirus assume a major role as a cause of viral meningitis and encephalitis in the paediatric age. The epidemiological and clinical context should rule the request of serologic tests to achieve a final diagnosis.