• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.168-174
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• 1996

Purpose : Aseptic meningitis is relatively frequent in children and caused mostly by enterovirus. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of early diagnosis (spinal tapping) on symptom duration of childhood aseptic meningitis. Methods : One hundred fifty-three children who were hospitalized due to aseptic menigitis in the Department of Pediatrics St. Benedict Hospital from July 1996 through October 1996 were included in this study. Patients were divided to two groups according to the duration from first symptom onset to diagnosis. Early diagnosis group is diagnosed within 3 days from first symptom onset. Later diagnosis group is diagnosed after 4 days from first symptom onset. Results : 1) The average age of these patients was 4.3 years old in early diagnosis group and 4.1 years old in later diagnosis group. The sex ratio(male: female) was 2.04:1 in early diagnosis group and 2.5:1 in later diagnosis group. 2) The mean duration of diagnosis of this study was 2.04 day in early diagnosis group and 5.12 day in later diagnosis group. 3) The percentage of symptom and sign of the early diagnosis group were fever(100%), headache(88.4%), vomiting(86.9%), abdominal pain(39%), neck stiffness(36.2%), skin rash(18.8%), diarrhea(16.9%) and that of later diagosis group were fever(100%), headache(83.3), vomiting(80.9%), abdominal pain(47.6%), neck stiffness(41.6%), skin rash(29.7%), diarrhea(16.6%). 4) Initial CSF findings revealed leukocyte $146.8{\pm}386.3/mm^3$ with PMNL 38%, protein 32.47mg/dl, sugar 66.23mg/dl in early diagnosis group and leukocyte $458.1{\pm}663.2/mm^3$, protein 31.22mg/dl, sugar 64.21 mg/dl in later diagnosis group. 5) There was no statistically significant differance in the peripheral blood findings between early diagnosis group and later diagnosis group. 6) The duration of disappearance of symptom after spinal tap were 2.3 days in early diagnosis group and 2.24 days in later diagnosis group. Total symptom duration was 4.34 days in early diagnosis group and 7.36 days in later diagnosis group. Conclusions : Our results demonstrate that early diagnosis(early spinal tap) shortened duration of clinical symptoms.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.123-130
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• 1999

Purpose : Meningitis is an inflammation of meninges by various kinds of organisms. Almost 85% of aseptic meningitis is caused by Enterovirus. This study was done to detect the causative virus of those with aseptic meningitis through sequencing the 5'-noncoding region to compare prototype and homology. Methods : RNA was extracted from Coxsackie Bl, Echovirus 3, 7, 9, 30. DNA was synthesized by RT-PCR and we compared homology with prototype from WHO by direct sequencing. Results : 1) PCR products from these viruses showed same bands of 155 bp and 440 bp on gel electrophoresis. 2) Coxsackievirus and Echovirus 11 prototype sequences were compared, which showed 12 bp changes with 92.1%. 3) Coxsackievirus B1 from a patient showed 94.1% homology when compared with prototype. 4) Echovirus 3 showed 92.8%, echovirus 7 92.8%, echovirus 30 82.9% homology. Conclusion : 5'-NCR of enterovirus has high homology which was good for use of diagnosis and more long sequencing requires for typing of viruses.