Belgian Journal of Paediatrics
Enteroviral Meningitis and the Bacterial Meningitis Score
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Keywords

Enterovirus
Bacterial Meningitis Score

Categories

How to Cite

Horiguchi, M., De Maeseneer, H., & Bruylants, B. (2024). Enteroviral Meningitis and the Bacterial Meningitis Score. Belgian Journal of Paediatrics, 26(4), 288–291. Retrieved from https://belgjpaediatrics.com/index.php/bjp/article/view/268

Abstract

Objectives Enteroviral meningitis is the most prevalent type of meningitis in the pediatric population. In the context of establishing an appropriate therapy, it remains crucial to correctly differentiate bacterial from viral meningitis. This can be challenging, especially in younger infants. Bacterial Meningitis Score (BMS) is a clinical prediction rule created by Nigrovic et al. that estimates the risk for bacterial meningitis based on five objective clinical and biochemical parameters.

Case report and review of literature We report two confirmed cases of enteroviral meningitis in patients from different age groups. We reviewed the literature on the age-related differences in clinical presentation and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) parameters, the use of BMS in practice and its impact.

Conclusions The normative CSF protein level showed great variability in neonates, putting forward the need for age-specific reference values. The CSF pleocytosis in children with enteroviral meningitis could range from high values to absent pleocytosis. In children older than 2 months, BMS showed a sensitivity of 100% (95% CI [96.9%;100%]), and can be useful to assist in clinical decision making.

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