Viral Meningitis

Abstract

From a review of 530 patients with viral meningitis during a 10-year period, no new epidemiological features emerged. Mumps virus was responsible for 24 per cent of the infections and in 20 per cent of these no salivary swellings occurred. Good evidence incriminating a particular virus was found in only 20 per cent of the others. The paucity of physical signs indicating a specific virus was confirmed; only 5 per cent had rashes and 1.5 per cent pleurodynia. A small number showed temporary encephalitic features, the proportion being higher in mumps infections. In this variety fever tended to be higher and the E.S.R. lower than in enteroviral infections. The C.S.F. findings confirmed the mixed pleocytosis and the higher but more lymphocytic counts in mumps. Relatively few patients had normal C.S.F. findings within 2 weeks of onset and resolution appeared to be slower in mumps.