Abstract
BackgroundAcute Cerebral Nervous System Infections (ACNS) may cause death or severe complications even to promptly treated children. The role of the immune system in influencing the course and the outcome of meningitis has been studied but it is not yet completely understood. The aim of the research is to ascertain whether children who experienced ACNS infection had a normal immune system.MethodsPatients under 18 years of age admitted at Bambino Gesù Children from January 2006 till June 2016 for meningitis were asked to participate to the follow-up study. The immune status was evaluated both clinically and by laboratory investigations.ResultsMost of the patients over 3 years at follow up had at least one immunological alteration at follow-up evaluation (74%). Considering ACNS infection etiology, certain pathogens were almost exclusive of patients affected by some immunological alteration, regardless of their age.DiscussionOur preliminary results indicate that sub-clinical immunological defects may be associated to ACNS pediatric infections. Moreover, to the best of our knowledges, this is the first study correlating pathogens to immune evaluation in ACNS infections. It is, however, important to underline the high frequency of persistent immunological alterations in the analyzed patients. Further studies are needed to confirm our conclusions.ConclusionsWe recommend an immunological assessment at follow up evaluation in children who experienced an ACNS infection.
Highlights
Acute cerebral nervous system (ACNS) infection are a spectrum of diseases that include cerebellitis, meningitis, encephalitis, and meningoencephalitis.Bacterial meningitis is a devastating and lifethreatening disease, in developing as well as in developed countries
We recommend an immunological assessment at follow up evaluation in children who experienced an Acute Cerebral Nervous System Infections (ACNS) infection
It is not yet clear whether Toll-Like Receptors 2, 4, and 9 polymorphisms may predict both susceptibility and unfavourable course of bacterial meningitis caused by Streptococcus Pneumoniae (SP) or Neisseria meningitidis (NM) [6,7,8,9,10]
Summary
Acute cerebral nervous system (ACNS) infection are a spectrum of diseases that include cerebellitis, meningitis, encephalitis, and meningoencephalitis.Bacterial meningitis is a devastating and lifethreatening disease, in developing as well as in developed countries. It is not yet clear whether Toll-Like Receptors 2, 4, and 9 polymorphisms may predict both susceptibility and unfavourable course of bacterial meningitis caused by SP or NM [6,7,8,9,10]. Individuals with deficiency of a single complement protein have a greatly increased risk of both carrying the putative pathogen in the nasal mucosa and developing the disease [12] These findings suggest that immune dysregulation and immunodeficiency may predispose to bacterial meningitis. The aim of the research is to ascertain whether children who experienced ACNS infection had a normal immune system
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