[Etiology of infectious diseases in the central nervous system].

OBJECTIVE

To determine the etiological characteristics of infectious diseases in the central neural system (CNS).

METHODS

The serum and cerebral spinal fluid of acute patients in the CNS were detected for virus-specific IgM, IgG and pathogens with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay as well as traditional bacterial and fungal culture.

RESULTS

Of the 823 patients, 126 (15.3%) patients were positive herpes simplex virus (HSV)-specific IgM and/or IgG, of which the maximum morbidity was under 10 years; 10(1.2%) were positive cytomegalovirus specific IgM and/or IgG; 8 (0.97%) were positive varicella-zoster virus specific IgM and/or IgG; 7 (0.85%) were diagnosed as tubercular meningitis; 6 (0.72%) as cryptocococes meningitis and 1 (0.12%) as meningococcic meningitis.

CONCLUSION

Viruses, especially herpes simplex viruses are the common causative agents of infectious diseases of the CNS, in which mycobacterium tuberculosis and cryptocococcus neoformans are conspicuous.