LABORATORY SURVEILLANCE OF VIRAL MENINGITIS BY EXAMINATION OF CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID IN CAPE-TOWN, 1981-9

Nine years accumulated laboratory data derived from the culture of the cerebrospinal fluid of 11 360 aseptic meningitis cases were retrospec tively reviewed to establish the epidemiology of viral meningitis in C ape Town. Virus was isolated from 3406 of the cases (91% enteroviruses and 9% mumps). Five major summer viral meningitis episodes were docum ented: two of echovirus 4 (706 and 445 cases), echovirus 9 (223), coxs ackie A9 (104) and one of unidentified enterovirus (324 cases - probab ly echo 9). Although coxsackie B was endemic. clusters of one or other type were dominant at any one time. Mumps was endemic. Sixty-two perc ent of all viral cases were < 5 years old. The median ages of 4 and 5 years in echoviruses 9 and 4 (the epidemic strains) contrasted with th at of 1 year in coxsackie B (with many cases < 3 months old). Mumps pe aked at 3-4 years of age. Males dominated overall, particularly in mum ps.