{"title":"南非某神经病学专科中心的神经传染病概况","authors":"Katryn Oosthuizen , Suzaan Marais","doi":"10.1016/j.ensci.2025.100581","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to assess the burden of neuroinfectious diseases and describe the causes and presentation of neurological infections to a tertiary level hospital neurology service in South Africa.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A retrospective electronic search of medical discharge records was conducted for adult patients admitted to the neurology ward over a two-year period, and patients with neuroinfectious diseases were identified. Diagnostic criteria were applied to classify patients according to the certainty of their neuroinfectious disease diagnosis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Neuroinfectious diseases accounted for 15 % of the 802 admissions to the neurology ward. The most common infectious aetiologies were tuberculosis (27 %), syphilis (21 %), neurological diseases related to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) itself (19 %), and HIV-associated opportunistic infections (10 %). Diagnostic challenges were observed, with only 17 % of cases having a definite diagnosis. The majority of patients with neuroinfectious diseases were young, with a median age of 38 years (IQR: 32–46), and 56 % were HIV-positive. Morbidity was high, with prolonged hospitalisation (>2 weeks) and limited full recovery at discharge in 56 % and 98 % of patients, respectively.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This study provides important insights into the burden and characteristics of neuroinfectious diseases encountered at an inpatient South African neurology service. The findings highlight the need for increased investment in primary care prevention and treatment of HIV, TB and syphilis − before patients require hospital admission or develop neurological pathology.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37974,"journal":{"name":"eNeurologicalSci","volume":"40 ","pages":"Article 100581"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2025-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":"{\"title\":\"The Neuroinfectious diseases profile in a specialist neurology centre in South Africa\",\"authors\":\"Katryn Oosthuizen , Suzaan Marais\",\"doi\":\"10.1016/j.ensci.2025.100581\",\"DOIUrl\":null,\"url\":null,\"abstract\":\"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to assess the burden of neuroinfectious diseases and describe the causes and presentation of neurological infections to a tertiary level hospital neurology service in South Africa.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A retrospective electronic search of medical discharge records was conducted for adult patients admitted to the neurology ward over a two-year period, and patients with neuroinfectious diseases were identified. Diagnostic criteria were applied to classify patients according to the certainty of their neuroinfectious disease diagnosis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Neuroinfectious diseases accounted for 15 % of the 802 admissions to the neurology ward. The most common infectious aetiologies were tuberculosis (27 %), syphilis (21 %), neurological diseases related to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) itself (19 %), and HIV-associated opportunistic infections (10 %). Diagnostic challenges were observed, with only 17 % of cases having a definite diagnosis. The majority of patients with neuroinfectious diseases were young, with a median age of 38 years (IQR: 32–46), and 56 % were HIV-positive. Morbidity was high, with prolonged hospitalisation (>2 weeks) and limited full recovery at discharge in 56 % and 98 % of patients, respectively.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This study provides important insights into the burden and characteristics of neuroinfectious diseases encountered at an inpatient South African neurology service. The findings highlight the need for increased investment in primary care prevention and treatment of HIV, TB and syphilis − before patients require hospital admission or develop neurological pathology.</div></div>\",\"PeriodicalId\":37974,\"journal\":{\"name\":\"eNeurologicalSci\",\"volume\":\"40 \",\"pages\":\"Article 100581\"},\"PeriodicalIF\":0.0000,\"publicationDate\":\"2025-08-06\",\"publicationTypes\":\"Journal Article\",\"fieldsOfStudy\":null,\"isOpenAccess\":false,\"openAccessPdf\":\"\",\"citationCount\":\"0\",\"resultStr\":null,\"platform\":\"Semanticscholar\",\"paperid\":null,\"PeriodicalName\":\"eNeurologicalSci\",\"FirstCategoryId\":\"1085\",\"ListUrlMain\":\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405650225000358\",\"RegionNum\":0,\"RegionCategory\":null,\"ArticlePicture\":[],\"TitleCN\":null,\"AbstractTextCN\":null,\"PMCID\":null,\"EPubDate\":\"\",\"PubModel\":\"\",\"JCR\":\"Q3\",\"JCRName\":\"Neuroscience\",\"Score\":null,\"Total\":0}","platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"eNeurologicalSci","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405650225000358","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"Neuroscience","Score":null,"Total":0}
The Neuroinfectious diseases profile in a specialist neurology centre in South Africa
Objective
This study aimed to assess the burden of neuroinfectious diseases and describe the causes and presentation of neurological infections to a tertiary level hospital neurology service in South Africa.
Methods
A retrospective electronic search of medical discharge records was conducted for adult patients admitted to the neurology ward over a two-year period, and patients with neuroinfectious diseases were identified. Diagnostic criteria were applied to classify patients according to the certainty of their neuroinfectious disease diagnosis.
Results
Neuroinfectious diseases accounted for 15 % of the 802 admissions to the neurology ward. The most common infectious aetiologies were tuberculosis (27 %), syphilis (21 %), neurological diseases related to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) itself (19 %), and HIV-associated opportunistic infections (10 %). Diagnostic challenges were observed, with only 17 % of cases having a definite diagnosis. The majority of patients with neuroinfectious diseases were young, with a median age of 38 years (IQR: 32–46), and 56 % were HIV-positive. Morbidity was high, with prolonged hospitalisation (>2 weeks) and limited full recovery at discharge in 56 % and 98 % of patients, respectively.
Conclusions
This study provides important insights into the burden and characteristics of neuroinfectious diseases encountered at an inpatient South African neurology service. The findings highlight the need for increased investment in primary care prevention and treatment of HIV, TB and syphilis − before patients require hospital admission or develop neurological pathology.
期刊介绍:
eNeurologicalSci provides a medium for the prompt publication of original articles in neurology and neuroscience from around the world. eNS places special emphasis on articles that: 1) provide guidance to clinicians around the world (Best Practices, Global Neurology); 2) report cutting-edge science related to neurology (Basic and Translational Sciences); 3) educate readers about relevant and practical clinical outcomes in neurology (Outcomes Research); and 4) summarize or editorialize the current state of the literature (Reviews, Commentaries, and Editorials). eNS accepts most types of manuscripts for consideration including original research papers, short communications, reviews, book reviews, letters to the Editor, opinions and editorials. Topics considered will be from neurology-related fields that are of interest to practicing physicians around the world. Examples include neuromuscular diseases, demyelination, atrophies, dementia, neoplasms, infections, epilepsies, disturbances of consciousness, stroke and cerebral circulation, growth and development, plasticity and intermediary metabolism. The fields covered may include neuroanatomy, neurochemistry, neuroendocrinology, neuroepidemiology, neurogenetics, neuroimmunology, neuroophthalmology, neuropathology, neuropharmacology, neurophysiology, neuropsychology, neuroradiology, neurosurgery, neurooncology, neurotoxicology, restorative neurology, and tropical neurology.