Pathogen detection for syndromes of encephalitis and meningitis among child patients in plateau of Qinghai province from 2010 to 2011

ObjectiveTo study types and distributions of pathogens of encephalitis and meningitis syndromes among child cases in plateau of Qinghai province.MethodsThe information on age,gender,nationality,and clinical charasteristics were collected among the children under age of 14 years with syndromes of encephalitis and meningitis.Cerebrospinal fluid(CSF)specimen from the patients were detected for pathogens of Cryptococcus,Staphylococcus aureus,S.pneumoniae,Colibacillus,H.influenzae tape b,N.meningitis,and Bacillus tuberculosis.Real-time(RT)-PCR method were used to detect Japanese encephalitis virus(JEV),enterovirus(EV),mumps virus(MV),and herpes simplex virus type I + II(HSV I + II).ResultsTotally 254 cases were collected and the detection rate of bacterial was 8.27%.Major pathogens included Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus tuberculosis,followed by Colibacillus,cryptococcus,S.pneumoniae,and N.meningitis.The detection rate of virus was 7.48%.Totally 15 cases were enterovirus positive,accounting for 78.95% of positive samples.The mumps virus and herpes simplex virus were also detected from some cases.ConclusionThe bacterial were major pathogens for encephalitis and meningitis syndromes in plateau of Qinghai province,and the surveillance and control of enterovirus encephalitis should be strengthened.