Alisha Akya - Associate Professor of Medical Microbiology, Nosocomial Infection Research Centre, School of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
Azam Elahi - MSc Student of Medical Microbiology, Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
Mohsen Moghoofei - Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
Roya Chegenelorestani - MSc Student of Medical Microbiology, Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
Ahmad Nejati - Assistant Professor, Department of Virology Faculty of public health, Tehran University of medical sciences, Tehran, Iran
Farhad Babaei - Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran

Background: Aseptic meningitis is frequently caused by viral agents, particularly human enterovirus. Several methods of Reverse Transcription PCR(RT-PCR) have recently been introduced and modified for better diagnosis of enteroviral infection in meningitis. This study aimed to determine enteroviruses in patients with suspicion of aseptic meningitis using RT-PCR in the West of Iran. Methods: In this study, ۱۲۰ CSF samples were collected from patients hospitalized with the suspicion of aseptic meningitis in Imam Reza Hospital of Kermanshah, Iran.RT-PCR was used to diagnose enteroviruses. The cDNA recovered from RT-PCR was purified using a DNA purification kit and sequenced to confirm viral genome. Sequence data were analyzed for homology using the Gen Bank database. Results: The samples were collected from ۶۳ (۵۲.۵%) men and ۵۷ (۴۷.۵%) women with an average age of ۳۱.۵ ± ۲۹.۴ years. Of the samples tested, ۴ cases (۳.۳۳%) yielded positive results for enterovirus. The results of sequence data analysis confirmed all positive cases as Enterovirus type ۷۱. The biochemical (protein and glucose) and cytological analyses of positive CSF samples showed no significant changes. Conclusion: According to the results, Enterovirus type ۷۱is one of the common causes of enteroviral meningitis in patients in Kermanshah. The RT-PCR technique can rapidly diagnose Enterovirus type ۷۱ and help better treatment of the patients and prevent the unnecessary use of antibiotics. So, molecular methods can reduce the cost of patients’ treatments and prevent drug resistance among bacteria. It can also provide a better picture of enteroviral infection in our region.

Enterovirus, EV ۷۱, Aseptic meningitis, RT-PCR, CSF