Viral Meningitis: Clinical and Microbiological Characteristics of Patients Admitted at a Hospital University between 2017 and 2022 in Medellin (Colombia)

Authors

  • Adrián Peñata Bedoya Hospital Universitario de San Vicente Fundación, Colombia
  • Juan Vélez Ramírez Universidad de Antioquia, Colombia
  • Jenifer Acevedo Guiral Universidad de Antioquia, Colombia
  • Tatiana Castaño Sepúlveda Hospital Universitario de San Vicente Fundación, Colombia
  • Julián Bustamante Mira Hospital Universitario de San Vicente Fundación, Colombia
  • Sigifredo Ospina Ospina Universidad de Antioquia, Colombia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14482/sun.42.02.497.125

Keywords:

Viral meningitis, Etiology, Epidemiology, Colombia

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to characterize the main sociodemographic, clinical, and etiological
differences between adults and children, diagnosed by commercial molecular test between 2017
and 2022 who required admission to a tertiary hospital in Colombia.
Materials and methods: A cross-sectional and retrospective study was conducted. Clinical aspects
were considered, and laboratory tests included: biochemistry, cell count, and culture of cerebrospinal
fluid (CSF). Absolute and relative frequencies for sociodemographic and clinical variables, as well
as viral etiology, were performed. Bivariate associations were used for microbiology parameters (p
< 0.05).
Results: A total of 82 patients were characterized, of whom 54 (65.8%) were men. The main symptoms
were fever (67.1%), followed by headache (37.8%). Children were most likely to be male and
have lower CSF protein levels (p < 0.001). In contrast, adults were more frequent to have VZV (22%)
and HSV-1 (20.7%), while in children, HHV-6 (22%) and EV (13.4%) predominated. Parechovirus was
the least frequent pathogen identified (1.2%).
Conclusion: Viral meningitis was more frequent in the pediatric age group and predominated in
males. Pleocytosis was slightly more frequently detected in adults, and the most common identified
viruses were from the herpes family. This study shows the need to identify more viral pathogens in
cases of uncertain origin, considering the changing distribution and etiological frequency resulting
from the increasing development of molecular tests.

Author Biographies

  • Adrián Peñata Bedoya, Hospital Universitario de San Vicente Fundación, Colombia

    Microbiologist. Master’s Degree in Public Health. Specialist in Health Services
    Management. Molecular Biology and Transplant Immunology, Hospital
    Universitario de San Vicente Fundación, Medellín (Colombia).
    carlosadrianpb@gmail.com. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7515-6718

  • Juan Vélez Ramírez, Universidad de Antioquia, Colombia

    Microbiologist. School of Escuela de Microbiología, Universidad de Antioquia,
    Medellín (Colombia). velezramirezjuanpablo@gmail.com. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9140-4323

  • Jenifer Acevedo Guiral, Universidad de Antioquia, Colombia

    Microbiologist. School of Escuela de Microbiología, Universidad de Antioquia,
    Medellín (Colombia). jenifer.acevedo@udea.edu.co. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2232-3567

  • Tatiana Castaño Sepúlveda, Hospital Universitario de San Vicente Fundación, Colombia

    Microbiologist. Specialist in Quality Management and Assurance. Molecular Biology and Transplant Immunology, Hospital Universitario de San Vicente Fundación, Medellín (Colombia). tatysjcs@hotmail.com. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3067-2436

  • Julián Bustamante Mira, Hospital Universitario de San Vicente Fundación, Colombia

    Microbiologist. Epidemiologist. Molecular Biology and Transplant Immunology,
    Hospital Universitario de San Vicente Fundación, Medellín (Colombia).
    julian.bustamante@gmail.com. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1738-0997

  • Sigifredo Ospina Ospina, Universidad de Antioquia, Colombia

    Physician. Specialist in Medical Microbiology, Specialist in Epidemiology. Professor, School of Medicine, Universidad EIA and Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín
    (Colombia). doctorsigifredo@gmail.com. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1241-4177

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Published

2026-07-09

Issue

Section

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

How to Cite

Viral Meningitis: Clinical and Microbiological Characteristics of Patients Admitted at a Hospital University between 2017 and 2022 in Medellin (Colombia). (2026). SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL SALUD UNINORTE, 42(2), 351-367. https://doi.org/10.14482/sun.42.02.497.125

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