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Paediatric Pulmonology and Allergology
2007 April, Vol. X, No. 1 (3524-3530)
MYCOPLASMAL MENINGITIS AND MENINGOENCEPHALITIS IN CHILDREN
Aldona Rainyte
Vilnius University Children’s Hospital, Center of Pediatrics, Vilnius, Lithuania
The article presents data of mycoplasmal meningitis and meningoencephalitis epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical features, diagnosis, therapy, prevention. Mycoplasmal meningitis and meningoencephalitis in children is not a common clinical syndrome. But most the causes of this disease are M. pneumoniae, M. hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum. The children are infected by mycoplasma from suffering patients or healthy person who is colonised by mycoplasma. Mycoplasmal infection prevalence is very high in community. Clinical presentation of mycoplasmal infection is very varied: acute respiratory disease, tracheitis, bronchitis, pneumonia. Prognosis for mycoplasma infections usually is favorable. However, M. pneumonia in immunodeficient patients and in small children, as well as M. hominis, Ureaplasma urealyticum in newborn may be the cause of meningitis and meningoencefalitis. Outcome of this infection without specific appropriate therapy may be fatality or with long-term sequelae. That’s why the investigation aseptic meningitis and meningoencephalitis for the mycoplasmal etiology is very important for the efficient treatment. Mycoplasmal CNS infection may be cured by mikrolides. We present some clinical cases of mycoplasmal meningitis and meningoencephalitis.