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Decline in the number of patients with meningitis in German hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Völk, Stefanie; Pfirrmann, Markus; Koedel, Uwe; Pfister, Hans-Walter; Lang, Thomas; Scheibe, Franziska; Salih, Farid; Herzig-Nichtweiss, Julia; Zimmermann, Julian; Alonso, Angelika; Wittstock, Matthias; Totzeck, Andreas; Schramm, Patrick; Schirotzek, Ingo; Onur, Oezguer A; Pelz, Johann Otto; Ottomeyer, Caroline; Luger, Sebastian; Barlinn, Kristian; Binder, Tobias; Wöbker, Gabriele; Reimann, Gernot; Urbanek, Christian; Heckelmann, Jan; Lochner, Piergiorgio; Berghoff, Martin; Schönenberger, Silvia; Neumann, Bernhard; Niesen, Wolf-Dirk; Dohmen, Christian; Huttner, Hagen B; Günther, Albrecht; Klein, Matthias.
  • Völk S; Department of Neurology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany.
  • Pfirrmann M; Institut für Medizinische Informationsverarbeitung, Biometrie und Epidemiologie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, 81377, Munich, Germany.
  • Koedel U; Department of Neurology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany.
  • Pfister HW; Department of Neurology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany.
  • Lang T; Institut für Medizinische Informationsverarbeitung, Biometrie und Epidemiologie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, 81377, Munich, Germany.
  • Scheibe F; Department of Neurology, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
  • Salih F; Department of Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
  • Herzig-Nichtweiss J; Department of Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
  • Zimmermann J; Department of Neurology, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany.
  • Alonso A; Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty Mannheim and Mannheim Center for Translational Neurosciences, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
  • Wittstock M; Department of Neurology, University Medicine Rostock, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, 18147, Rostock, Germany.
  • Totzeck A; Department of Neurology and Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
  • Schramm P; Department of Anaesthesiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany.
  • Schirotzek I; Department of Neurology, University Hospital Giessen, Klinikstrasse 33, 35385, Giessen, Germany.
  • Onur OA; Klinik für Neurologie und Neurointensivmedizin, Klinikum Darmstadt, Grafenstrasse 9, 64283, Darmstadt, Germany.
  • Pelz JO; Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
  • Ottomeyer C; Department of Neurology, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
  • Luger S; Hospital Agatharied, Agatharied, Germany.
  • Barlinn K; Department of Neurology, Goethe-University Hospital Frankfurt, Schleusenweg 2-16, 60528, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
  • Binder T; Department of Neurology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
  • Wöbker G; Department of Neurology, Julius-Maximilians-University, Würzburg, Germany.
  • Reimann G; Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Helios-Universitätsklinikum Wuppertal, Universität Witten-Herdecke, Wuppertal, Germany.
  • Urbanek C; Department of Neurology, Klinikum Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany.
  • Heckelmann J; Department of Neurology, Hospital Ludwigshafen, Ludwigshafen, Germany.
  • Lochner P; Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
  • Berghoff M; Department of Neurology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Germany.
  • Schönenberger S; Department of Neurology, University Hospital Giessen, Klinikstrasse 33, 35385, Giessen, Germany.
  • Neumann B; Department of Neurology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.
  • Niesen WD; Department of Neurology, University of Regensburg, Bezirksklinikum Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
  • Dohmen C; Department of Neurology, Donau-Isar-Klinikum Deggendorf, Deggendorf, Germany.
  • Huttner HB; Department of Neurology and Neuroscience, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
  • Günther A; Department of Neurology, LVR-Klinik Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
  • Klein M; Department of Neurology, University Hospital Giessen, Klinikstrasse 33, 35385, Giessen, Germany.
J Neurol ; 269(7): 3389-3399, 2022 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1750705
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVES:

In 2020, a wide range of hygiene measures was implemented to mitigate infections caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In consequence, pulmonary infections due to other respiratory pathogens also decreased. Here, we evaluated the number of bacterial and viral meningitis and encephalitis cases during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

METHODS:

In a multicentre retrospective analysis of data from January 2016 until December 2020, numbers of patients diagnosed with bacterial meningitis and other types of CNS infections (such as viral meningitis and encephalitis) at 26 German hospitals were studied. Furthermore, the number of common meningitis-preceding ear-nose-throat infections (sinusitis, mastoiditis and otitis media) was evaluated.

RESULTS:

Compared to the previous years, the total number of patients diagnosed with pneumococcal meningitis was reduced (n = 64 patients/year in 2020 vs. n = 87 to 120 patients/year between 2016 and 2019, all p < 0.05). Additionally, the total number of patients diagnosed with otolaryngological infections was significantly lower (n = 1181 patients/year in 2020 vs. n = 1525 to 1754 patients/year between 2016 and 2019, all p < 0.001). We also observed a decline in viral meningitis and especially enterovirus meningitis (n = 25 patients/year in 2020 vs. n = 97 to 181 patients/year between 2016 and 2019, all p < 0.001).

DISCUSSION:

This multicentre retrospective analysis demonstrates a decline in the number of patients treated for viral and pneumococcal meningitis as well as otolaryngological infections in 2020 compared to previous years. Since the latter often precedes pneumococcal meningitis, this may point to the significance of the direct spread of pneumococci from an otolaryngological focus such as mastoiditis to the brain as one important pathophysiological route in the development of pneumococcal meningitis.
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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Encephalitis / COVID-19 / Mastoiditis / Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Meningitis, Viral Type of study: Experimental Studies / Observational study Limits: Humans Language: English Journal: J Neurol Year: 2022 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: S00415-022-11034-w

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Encephalitis / COVID-19 / Mastoiditis / Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Meningitis, Viral Type of study: Experimental Studies / Observational study Limits: Humans Language: English Journal: J Neurol Year: 2022 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: S00415-022-11034-w