Active Case Finding of Current Bornavirus Infections in Human Encephalitis Cases of Unknown Etiology,Germany, 2018–2020

Human bornavirus encephalitis is a severe and often fatal infection caused by variegated squirrel bornavirus 1 (VSBV-1) and Borna disease virus 1 (BoDV-1). We conducted a prospective study of bornavirus etiology of encephalitis cases in Germany during 2018–2020 by using a serologic testing scheme applied along proposed graded case definitions for VSBV-1, BoDV-1, and unspecified bornavirus encephalitis. Of 103 encephalitis cases of unknown etiology, 4 bornavirus infections were detected serologically. One chronic case was caused by VSBV-1 after occupational-related contact of a person with exotic squirrels, and 3 acute cases were caused by BoDV-1 in virus-endemic areas. All 4 case-patients died. Bornavirus etiology could be confirmed by molecular methods. Serologic testing for these cases was virus specific, discriminatory, and a practical diagnostic option for living patients if no brain tissue samples are available. This testing should be guided by clinical and epidemiologic suspicions, such as residence in virus-endemic areas and animal exposure.     

检测LAM-IgG指标诊断与鉴别诊断结核性腹水

目的：了解检测腹水标本阿拉伯糖甘露糖脂IgG抗体（LAM－IgG)指标诊断与鉴别诊断结核性腹水的应用价值。方法：研究对象包括恶性腹水组（恶性组）38人,结核性腹水组（结核组）32人,其他良性腹水组（对照组）32人,采集腹水为检测标本,应用斑点免疫金渗滤试验（dot-IGFA)技术检测LAM－IgG。结果：LAM－IgG的阳性结果为：恶性组5．3％（2／39）,结核组65．6％（21／32）,对照组0。结论：在诊断与鉴别诊断结核性腹水方面,LAM－IgG指标的特异性,敏感性均较高,具有应用价值。     

Cytokines and fibrinolytic enzymes in tuberculous and parapneumonic effusions

Tuberculous (TB) pleurisy and parapneumonic effusion (PPE) are common causes of pleural fibrosis. The mechanisms underlying fibrin deposition may be different since involved inflammatory cells are distinct. In this study, we measured various cytokines and fibrinolytic enzymes and compared the differences between the two effusions. PPE was further divided into noncomplicated PPE and complicated PPE/empyema subgroups. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, IL-8, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1beta, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) and tissue type plasminogen activator (tPA) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Significantly higher values of PAI-1, PAI-1/tPA ratio, IL-1beta, IL-8 and MIP-1beta and significantly lower values of TNF-alpha, IL-6 and MCP-1 were observed in PPE/empyema than in TB effusions. Compared to noncomplicated PPE, complicated PPE/empyema had significantly higher levels of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-8 and MIP-1beta. TB pleurisy patients who had higher effusion levels of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and IL-8 were predisposing to residual pleural thickening. The underlying mechanisms of fibrin formation and deposition between the two effusions studied (PPE/empyema and TB pleurisy) could not be fully explained by the results of the present study. More studies are needed to explore this further.     

Cerebrospinal fluid indices in cryptococcal and tuberculous meningitis: the spider web coagulum and its diagnostic significance

The differentiation between a chronic cryptococcal meningitis and a chronic tuberculous meningitis may cause problems for the clinician only if standard microbiological methods are not applied to the diagnosis of both infections. In a male non-AIDS patient (50 y), 11 years after a suggested diagnosis of "tuberculous meningitis", meningoencephalitis with hydrocephalus was diagnosed and treated accordingly without success. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was never found. Because fibrin fibres of a spider web coagulum in the CSF resembled Aspergillus mycelium, the patient was then treated with amphotericin B + flucytosine. Finally, a mycological examination led to the true diagnosis: (1) In the CSF, resembling Aspergillus hyphae were found to be spider web coagulum fibres. (2) Cryptococcal meningoencephalitis based on the detection of Cryptococcus neoformans in CSF and its antigen in serum and CSF. - At post-mortem, cryptococcal meningoencephalitis was established as cause of death. Residual signs of tuberculosis could not be detected in the brain and the meninges. Common clinical similarities of cryptococcal and tuberculous meningitis and the possibility of a double infection are discussed. A comparison of the presence of Cr. neoformans in the meninges of non-AIDS and AIDS patients is made. The formation of spider web coagulum in the CSF is discussed. Proposals for the diagnosis, therapy and prophylaxis of cryptococcal meningitis are made.     

Tuberculous otitis media-are we missing it ?

Tuberculosis of the middle ear it a rare disease. Due to change in the typical clinical pattern and decrease in incidence, there is a delayed or missed diagnosis and can lead to increased morbidity. We pretent 5 cases of Tuberculous Otitis Media treated over a period of 2 years, highlighting the fact that it must be considered as a differential diagnosis of persistent suppurative otitis media.     

National Surveillance System and Hib meningitis incidence in Italy

In 1994, the Italian Ministry of Health implemented a National Surveillance System to obtain data on the incidence of bacterial meningitis and its causative agents, including Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). As a consequence, case reporting of Hib meningitis is increasing year by year; in 1996, there were 126 notifications, of which 73% were in children under 2 years of age. Although underreporting still exists, parallel prospective or retrospective epidemiological surveys conducted in some Italian Regions allowed for partial correction of the incidence of Hib meningitis (up to 18.5/100,000 population in 1994).     

An echovirus 30 outbreak with a high meningitis attack rate among children and household members at four day-care centers

Echovirus 30 (E 30) outbreaks in defined cohorts have rarely been reported. In June 1996, an outbreak of E 30 occurred in four day-care centers (DCCs) in neighboring villages in Germany. A retrospective cohort study of DCC children, employees and household members was done to determine the extent of the outbreak and risk factors for illness. Forty-two percent (39/92) of DCC children, 13% (30/228) of their household members, 5% (1/19) of employees and 2% (1/49) of household members of employees were ill. Onsets occurred over 31 days. Thirteen percent (12/92) of DCC children had meningitis. In only one of 16 households with multiple family members ill, illness in a family member preceeded that of the DCC child. Household members of ill DCC children were 15 times more likely to report illness than those of non-ill DCC children. We conclude that this outbreak was associated with a very high incidence of meningitis, the outbreak began in the DCCs and then spread to household members, and that household members of ill children compared to those of non-ill children were much more likely to report illness.     

Méningite à pneumocoque résistant à la pénicilline et transmission nosocomiale en milieu hospitalier pédiatrique confirmée par analyse génomique

Background.

Careful epidemiological studies and sophisticated diagnostic procedures are necessary to prove that bacterial infection is nosocomial in origin. DNA finger printing method can be useful with this aim in view.

Case reports.

A 11 month-old girl suffered from a febrile pneumonia. She developed acute meningitis 15 days later; culture of CSF grew Streptococcus pneumoniae, serotype 23 F, resistant to β-lactamines, erythromycin and cotrimoxazole. She died 24 hours later. Five days after this death, a 5 month-old infant hospitalized in the next bed developed an acute pulmonary infection due to the same strain with the same bacterial characteristics; this patient was cured with cefotaxime plus vancomycin and gentamicin. Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA analysis showed an identical profile of both strains.

Conclusion.

This is the first case of meningitis due to penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (PRSP) associated with nosocomial spread between two children in adjacent beds. This case suggests that it is necessary to isolate patients with PRSP infection during hospitalization.     

102例B群流行性脑脊髓膜炎临床分析

为探讨B群脑膜炎双球菌脑膜炎(B群流脑)的临床特点，对102例B群流脑与98例A群流脑在发病年龄、合并症、暴发型的发生率及死亡率方面进行对照分析。结果发现B群流脑发病年龄小，多见于1岁以下婴儿(51．0％)，合并症多；暴发型的发生率及死亡率(31．4％，11．8％)较A群(24．4％，6．1％)在统计学上差异虽无显著性，但临床资料显示有增高趋势。提示B群脑膜炎双球菌致病力可能较强。     

RMP-7对两性霉素B脂质体跨血脑屏障能力的药效学研究RMP-7对两性霉素B脂质体跨血脑屏障能力的药效学研究

目的研究两性霉素B脑靶向脂质体对小鼠脑膜炎的治疗作用。方法用薄膜超声法制备两性霉素B脂质体和两性霉素B脑靶向脂质体,测定其包封率和浓度;建立小鼠的脑膜炎模型,研究了两性霉素B脂质体的疗效。结果两性霉素B脂质体的包封率为(93.3±1.8)%;脑内注射白色念珠球菌2 h使小鼠形成脑膜炎模型;将两性霉素B制成脑靶向脂质体,能显著延长脑膜炎小鼠的生存期。结论与普通两性霉素B脂质体相比,两性霉素B脑靶向脂质体能显著提高对小鼠脑膜炎的治疗作用,使小鼠的存活期延长一倍。