Chronic meningitis in immunocompromised adult Ethiopians visiting Tikur Anbessa Teaching Hospital and Ye'huleshet Clinic from 2003-2004.

BACKGROUND Chronic meningitis is inflammation of the meninges where signs and symptoms develop and last for at least four weeks without alleviation. Little is known about the current etiology and incidence of the disease in adults living in developing countries. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to elucidate the most common etiologies of chronic meningitis in adult Ethiopian patients and give an aid in the empiric therapy. METHODOLOGY A total of 53 adult patients (median age 32 years) having chronic meningitis and who were admitted at Tikur Anbessa Teaching Hospital and Ye'huleshet Clinic, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia were recruited between 2003 and 2004. Of the 53 patients, bacteriological, molecular and immunological investigations were done for 52 of the study participants to detect Cryptococcus neoformans, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Toxoplasma gondii, Brucella and Neisseria meningitides infections. RESULTS Forty eight of the participants were HIV positive and 15% (8/52) of the CSF were positive with Cryptococcal latex antigen detection test; in addition, M. tuberculosis DNA was detected using PCR from CSF ofpatients infew of the patients. Multiple infections were observed in studyparticipants with < 0.1 to 1 CD4 to CD8 ratio. CONCLUSION Chronic meningitis mostly occurred in HIV infected patients, where most of the infections were attributed to Cryptococcus neoformans whereas M. tuberculosis appeared secondary.