Cerebrospinal fluid nerve growth factor and total protein concentration in the children with meningitis

Meningitis is one of the most common infectious cerebral nervous system (CNS), defined as an inflammation of the meninges. It is clinically categorized into a chronic and acute based on the acuity of symptoms. Vomiting, bulging fontanel and fever are the main symptoms in the patients with meningitis. Bacterial meningitis is a severe, potentially life-threatening infection that is associated with high rates of morbidity and disability in survivors. The examination of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a keystone in diagnostic procedure for patients with suspected meningitis. CSF contains cytokines and changes in the levels of cytokines have been shown in some neurological diseases. In this study, the total protein contents (TPC) and NGF concentration in the CSF of normal subjects and patients with bacterial meningitis was measured using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). CSF was obtained by lumbar puncture. No significant change in the TPC has been seen between two groups. We have also shown that the concentration of NGF in the CSF of patients with meningitis is higher than in normal control. The data from this study indicate that NGF is a constant component of human CSF. It is also concluded that high concentration of CSF NGF may be partly related to the pathophysiology of meningitis.