Non viral lymphocytes meningitis of adults in Abidjan (Cote d'Ivoire)

Our prospective and longitudinal study aimed to analyse the aetiologies, cl inical features and prognostic of non viral lymphocytes meningitises (NVLM) . We recruited 131 patients, 77 males (59%) and 54 females (41%) sex-ratio 1.4. The mean age was 35 years [15-67]. 117 patients were HIV positive (89% ) and 14 (11%) were HIV negative. Feverish meningoencephalitis was present in 85% of cases, with 7 days for mean delay of admission into hospital. 80 germs were found in the C.S.F 70 Cryptococcus neoformans, 4 Mycobacterium t uberculosis, 3 Streptococcus pneumoniae, 1 Candida albicans, 1 Neisseria me ningitis and 1 Trypanosoma gambiense. 63 aetiologies were linked to lymphoc ytes meningitis by indirect deduction: 41 cases of tuberculous meningitis w ith lung X-ray anomalies and M. tuberculosis in sputum (11 times), 11 cases of cerebral malaria with Plasmodium falciparum in blood, 11 cases of cereb ral toxoplasmosis by significant features with cerebral tomodensitometry. L etality was 53%, 35% of patients improved and 12% were lost to follow-up. O ur study shows the difficulties in the management of the NVLM, due to the d elay of diagnosis, particulary for tuberculous meningitis.