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. 2021 Dec 30:12:267-274.
doi: 10.2147/RRTM.S339058. eCollection 2021.

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 Goris  3
Affiliations

Are Pathogenic Leptospira a Possible Cause of Aseptic Meningitis in Suspected Children in Sudan?

Nada Abdelghani Abdelrahim et al. Res Rep Trop Med. .

Abstract

Introduction: 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 febrile illnesses in this country.

Keywords: Africa; PCR; infectious meningitis; leptospirosis; pediatrics.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors report no competing interests with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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