Neurotrophin-3 levels in cerebrospinal fluid from children with bacterial meningitis, viral meningitis, or encephalitis

Neurotrophin-3 levels were measured in the cerebrospinal fluid of 35 patien ts with bacterial meningitis, viral meningitis, or encephalitis by two-site enzyme immunoassay. Elevated cerebrospinal fluid levels of neurotrophin-3 were demonstrated in 8 of 18 patients with bacterial meningitis. Follow-up examination of the eight patients at the convalescent stage showed diminish ed cerebrospinal fluid levels of neurotrophin-3. in contrast, none of the 1 7 patients with viral meningitis or encephalitis showed an elevation of neu rotrophin-3 levels in cerebrospinal fluid. No relationships were observed b etween neurotrophin-3 levels and cerebrospinal fluid cell numbers, cerebros pinal fluid protein levels, serum C-reactive protein concentrations, or out come in bacterial meningitis. Since neurotrophin-3 is involved in the survi val of neurons and the modulation of the immune system, neurotrophin-3 coul d play a neuroprotective or immunomodulatory role in bacterial meningitis.