Molecular Detection of Leptospira in Pediatric Aseptic Meningitis

Abstract

ABSTRACT Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic Leptospira bacterial species. It is tremendously neglected, and scarce epidemiological data is present worldwide. Aseptic meningitis is a rare secondary manifestation of Leptospira infection. Molecular detection of leptospira DNA in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples of children younger than two years is could be considered for diagnosis of aseptic meningitis. A total of 50 CSF samples suspected of aseptic meningitis were collected from pediatric patients (<2 years) presenting to Omdurman Teaching Hospital in Khartoum state, Sudan, between June and September 2018. PCR was used to investigate the presence of leptospira DNA in these samples. Out of the 50 CSF samples in our study, two samples (4%) tested positive for Leptospira DNA using PCR. Leptospira is an overlooked cause of aseptic meningitis in children, and PCR can be used for its diagnosis. J Microbiol Infect Dis 2022; 12(1):35-37.

Keywords

• Leptospira
• pediatric
• aseptic meningitis
• diagnosis
• molecular