Are Pathogenic Leptospira a Possible Cause of Aseptic Meningitis in Suspected Children in Sudan?
Nada Abdelghani Abdelrahim,1 Imad Mohammed Fadl-Elmula,2 Rudy A Hartskeerl,3 Ahmed Ahmed,3 Marga Goris3 1Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Nile University, Khartoum, Sudan; 2Department of Pathology & Clinical Genetics, Al-Neelain University and Assafa Ac...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:370e9be5b17145399fb3a7d1ed2f4d90 2023-05-15T15:13:51+02:00 Are Pathogenic Leptospira a Possible Cause of Aseptic Meningitis in Suspected Children in Sudan? Abdelrahim NA Fadl-Elmula IM Hartskeerl RA Ahmed A Goris M 2021-12-01T00:00:00Z https://doaj.org/article/370e9be5b17145399fb3a7d1ed2f4d90 EN eng Dove Medical Press https://www.dovepress.com/are-pathogenic-leptospira-a-possible-cause-of-aseptic-meningitis-in-su-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-RRTM https://doaj.org/toc/1179-7282 1179-7282 https://doaj.org/article/370e9be5b17145399fb3a7d1ed2f4d90 Research and Reports in Tropical Medicine, Vol Volume 12, Pp 267-274 (2021) leptospirosis infectious meningitis pcr pediatrics africa Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 article 2021 ftdoajarticles 2022-12-30T20:35:46Z Nada Abdelghani Abdelrahim,1 Imad Mohammed Fadl-Elmula,2 Rudy A Hartskeerl,3 Ahmed Ahmed,3 Marga Goris3 1Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Nile University, Khartoum, Sudan; 2Department of Pathology & Clinical Genetics, Al-Neelain University and Assafa Academy, Khartoum, Sudan; 3OIE and National Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Leptospirosis, Department of Medical Microbiology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, NetherlandsCorrespondence: Nada Abdelghani Abdelrahim Tel +249 9 2275-1673Email nada.ghani@hotmail.comIntroduction: Clinical presentations of leptospirosis are diverse, with meningitis easily confused with other microbial causes. We aimed to investigate the involvement of pathogenic leptospira in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of meningitis-suspected children in Sudan.Methods: A total of 153 CSF specimens were collected over 5 months from patients attending a reference pediatric hospital in Omdurman, Sudan. All patients had provisionally been diagnosed with meningitis on admission. Demographic, clinical, and conventional laboratory findings were obtained. DNA was extracted using a QIAamp mini kit, and the secY gene investigated using real-time PCR.Results: Nine of 153 (6%) CSF specimens were positive for pathogenic leptospiral DNA. All these patients were male (seven infants and two toddlers aged ˂4 years). Typical conventional laboratory findings for aseptic meningitis (ie, CSF turbidity/pleocytosis, normal or reduced CSF glucose, normal or elevated proteins) were seen in five (56%). All patients presented with fever and seizures, 56% vomiting and stiff neck, and 29% bulging fontanel. Most (67%) patients presented in summer (March to May). Polymicrobial infections were identified in three patients (33%).Conclusion: We conclude that pathogenic leptospira are probably a common cause of meningitis in children in Sudan; therefore, we recommend including leptospirosis in the differential diagnosis of CNS infections and other undifferentiated ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
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language |
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leptospirosis infectious meningitis pcr pediatrics africa Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 |
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leptospirosis infectious meningitis pcr pediatrics africa Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Abdelrahim NA Fadl-Elmula IM Hartskeerl RA Ahmed A Goris M Are Pathogenic Leptospira a Possible Cause of Aseptic Meningitis in Suspected Children in Sudan? |
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leptospirosis infectious meningitis pcr pediatrics africa Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 |
description |
Nada Abdelghani Abdelrahim,1 Imad Mohammed Fadl-Elmula,2 Rudy A Hartskeerl,3 Ahmed Ahmed,3 Marga Goris3 1Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Nile University, Khartoum, Sudan; 2Department of Pathology & Clinical Genetics, Al-Neelain University and Assafa Academy, Khartoum, Sudan; 3OIE and National Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Leptospirosis, Department of Medical Microbiology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, NetherlandsCorrespondence: Nada Abdelghani Abdelrahim Tel +249 9 2275-1673Email nada.ghani@hotmail.comIntroduction: Clinical presentations of leptospirosis are diverse, with meningitis easily confused with other microbial causes. We aimed to investigate the involvement of pathogenic leptospira in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of meningitis-suspected children in Sudan.Methods: A total of 153 CSF specimens were collected over 5 months from patients attending a reference pediatric hospital in Omdurman, Sudan. All patients had provisionally been diagnosed with meningitis on admission. Demographic, clinical, and conventional laboratory findings were obtained. DNA was extracted using a QIAamp mini kit, and the secY gene investigated using real-time PCR.Results: Nine of 153 (6%) CSF specimens were positive for pathogenic leptospiral DNA. All these patients were male (seven infants and two toddlers aged ˂4 years). Typical conventional laboratory findings for aseptic meningitis (ie, CSF turbidity/pleocytosis, normal or reduced CSF glucose, normal or elevated proteins) were seen in five (56%). All patients presented with fever and seizures, 56% vomiting and stiff neck, and 29% bulging fontanel. Most (67%) patients presented in summer (March to May). Polymicrobial infections were identified in three patients (33%).Conclusion: We conclude that pathogenic leptospira are probably a common cause of meningitis in children in Sudan; therefore, we recommend including leptospirosis in the differential diagnosis of CNS infections and other undifferentiated ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Abdelrahim NA Fadl-Elmula IM Hartskeerl RA Ahmed A Goris M |
author_facet |
Abdelrahim NA Fadl-Elmula IM Hartskeerl RA Ahmed A Goris M |
author_sort |
Abdelrahim NA |
title |
Are Pathogenic Leptospira a Possible Cause of Aseptic Meningitis in Suspected Children in Sudan? |
title_short |
Are Pathogenic Leptospira a Possible Cause of Aseptic Meningitis in Suspected Children in Sudan? |
title_full |
Are Pathogenic Leptospira a Possible Cause of Aseptic Meningitis in Suspected Children in Sudan? |
title_fullStr |
Are Pathogenic Leptospira a Possible Cause of Aseptic Meningitis in Suspected Children in Sudan? |
title_full_unstemmed |
Are Pathogenic Leptospira a Possible Cause of Aseptic Meningitis in Suspected Children in Sudan? |
title_sort |
are pathogenic leptospira a possible cause of aseptic meningitis in suspected children in sudan? |
publisher |
Dove Medical Press |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://doaj.org/article/370e9be5b17145399fb3a7d1ed2f4d90 |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic |
genre_facet |
Arctic |
op_source |
Research and Reports in Tropical Medicine, Vol Volume 12, Pp 267-274 (2021) |
op_relation |
https://www.dovepress.com/are-pathogenic-leptospira-a-possible-cause-of-aseptic-meningitis-in-su-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-RRTM https://doaj.org/toc/1179-7282 1179-7282 https://doaj.org/article/370e9be5b17145399fb3a7d1ed2f4d90 |
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1766344362596237312 |