Table 3 Comparison of patients' characteristics grouped as bacterial, viral and dual CNS infections

From: Aetiologies of Central Nervous System infections in adults in Kathmandu, Nepal: A prospective hospital-based study

 

Bacterial*

Viral$

 

Viral

Dual #

 

JEV

Enteroviruses

 

Bacterial

Dual

 
 

N = 9

n = 18

p value

N = 18

N = 4

p value

N = 7

N = 9

pvalue

N = 9

N = 4

pvalue

Age

24(22–30)

38(29–63)

0.02

38(29–63)

23(21.25–24.75)

0.02

42(27–67)

39(33–53)

0.87

24(22–30)

23(21.25–24.75)

0.58

Male

6(67)

10(55)

0.69

10(55)

2(50)

1

4(57)

5(55)

1

6(67)

2(50)

1

Median duration of illness

2(1–9)

7(4.5–12.5)

0.15

7(4.5–12.5)

16.5(3–45)

0.86

7(4–7.5)

7(6–14)

0.59

2(1–9)

16.5(3–45)

0.24

No previous treatment/referral

5(55)

8(44)

0.69

8(44)

1(25)

0.06

2(28)

5(55)

0.35

5(55)

1(25)

0.55

Clinical Features

            

Fever

9(100)

17(94)

1.00

17(94)

4(100)

1.00

7(100)

8(88)

1

9(100)

4(100)

1

Headache

7(77)

11(61)

0.66

11(61)

4(100)

0.26

5(71)

5(55)

0.63

7(77)

4(100)

1

Vomiting

7(77)

11(61)

0.66

11(61)

3(75)

1.00

5(71)

5(55)

0.63

7(77)

3(75)

1

Alteration of consciousness

2(22)

9(50)

0.22

9(50)

1(25)

0.59

4(57)

4(44)

1

2(22)

1(25)

1

Seizure

2(22)

2(10)

0.58

2(10)

1(25)

0.47

1(14)

1(11)

1

2(22)

1(25)

1

Neck stiffness

8(88)

9(50)

0.09

9(50)

3(75)

0.59

3(42)

5(55)

1

8(88)

3(75)

1

GCS<15

2(22)

7(38)

0.66

7(38)

0(0)

0.26

3(42)

4(44)

1

2(22)

0(0)

1

Travel

3(33)

2(11)

0.29

2(11)

0(0)

1.00

1(14)

1(11)

1

3(33)

0(0)

0.49

CSF

            

Glucose(g/dl)

18(10–38)

55(39.25–75.75)

0.02

55(39.25–75.75

35.5(24.25–49.5)

0.25

79(47.5–95.5)

53(37–56)

0.10

18(10–38)

35.5(24.25–49.5)

0.31

Protein(g/dl)

300(168–330)

134.5(60–166)

0.03

134.5(60–166)

117(73–189)

0.83

144(135–162)

78(29–218)

0.18

300(168–330)

117(73–189)

0.28

WBC(10e6/ml)

630(24–2500)

31.5(12–62.25)

0.03

31.5(12–62.25)

630(133.25–1285)

0.01

42(25.5–111.5)

25(2–64)

0.56

630(24–2500)

630(133.25–1285)

0.87

Neutrophils (%)

89(84–95)

12.5(3.25–26)

0.01

12.5(3.25–26)

58.5(41.5–74.5)

0.01

10(7–25)

15(1–20)

0.49

89(84–95)

58.5(41.5–74.5)

0.64

Lymphocytes (%)

10(10–16)

65(5.25–80)

0.42

65(5.25–80)

41.5(25.5–58.5)

0.76

70(30–85)

72(1–80)

0.22

10(10–16)

41.5(25.5–58.5)

0.21

Hematology

            

TLC(10e6/ml)

15(10–21.1)

8.75(6.52–12.9)

0.03

8.75(6.52–12.9)

12.5(9.65–17.25)

0.18

9.1(8.75–14)

6.7(6.5–10.1)

0.31

15(10–21.1)

12.5(9.65–17.25)

0.64

Neutrophils (%)

89(84–95)

82(66–89)

0.07

82(66–89)

91(86.75–92.25)

0.10

86 (73–89)

85(66–90)

0.67

89(84–95)

91(86.75–92.25)

0.75

Lymphocytes (%)

11(5–16)

16(10.75–33)

0.09

16(10.75–33)

7.5(6.5–11.75)

0.07

14(11–27)

15(10–30)

0.87

11(5–16)

7.5(6.5–11.75)

0.87

  1. *Bacteria- N. meningitidis (n) = 5, S.pneumoniae (n) = 3, S aureus (n) = 1.
  2. $Viruses- enteroviruses (n) = 9, JEV (n) = 7, HSV (n) = 2.
  3. #Dual – Bacterial + viral infections (n) = 4. Bacterial/viral infections were compared with dual infections (bacterial + viral co-infection); co-infection with 2 viruses (virus + virus) [n = 1] was not included in dual infections in the comparative analysis.
  4. Values represent number (percentage) in categorical data and median (Inter-quartile range; IQR) in continuous data.
  5. Fisher's exact test was used for categorical variables and Mann-Whitney U test was used for continuous data to compare-- bacterial vs. viral infections; viral vs. dual infections; enteroviruses vs. JEV and bacterial vs. dual infections. Two tailed tests p value were considered to detect any statistical significance.
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