Viral Infections of the Central Nervous System: Diagnosis and Clinical Outcome

Condition(s) studied

Study summary

Central Nervous System (CNS) infections are caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, helminths, with several clinical aspects. Studies in the literature generally focus on a single patient type, and no experiences have been reported in which immunosuppressed and immunocompetent adult and pediatric patients were simultaneously examined. Our study will include all possible patient types (immunocompetent adults, immunocompetent pediatric patients, and subjects immunosuppressed by co-softness), to try to more precisely define the clinical and population characteristics of patients who have had an episode of CNS viral infection. These indications may be useful in the future to more specifically guide diagnostic investigations on patients considered at risk.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Positivity to different etiological agents (CMV, HSV-1, HSV-2, HHV-6, VZV, EBV, EV) by patient type (pediatric, adult, immunocompetent, immunocompromised) — at enrolment
  For the primary objective, all required molecular investigations of LCRs collected from patients with suspected viral meningitis will be selected from the management software used at the Virology Laboratory between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2024. Infectious episodes will be identified in relation to the positivity of the viral etiological agent, considering the result (positive or negative) obtained at the time of diagnosis, without having the need to re-examine the sample. An infectious episode is defined as a hospital admission event with a clinical picture of presumed meningitis of viral origin and consequent microbiological confirmation. Therefore, in case of multiple molecular investigations on the same patient during a single hospitalization, it will be considered as the only infectious event. On the other hand, in the event of multiple hospitalizations per single patient with suspected viral meningitis, they will be considered as different infectious episodes.

Trial sites (1)

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