Strongyloidiasis and Culture-Negative Suppurative Meningitis, Japan, 1993–2015

Abstract

Community-acquired Enterobacteriaceae infection and culture-negative meningitis are rare and atypical subtypes of meningitis in adults. Of 37 patients who had atypical suppurative meningitis during 1993–2015 in Okinawa, Japan, 54.5% had strongyloidiasis, of which 9.1% cases were hyperinfections and 3.0% dissemination. Strongyloidiasis should be considered an underlying cause of atypical suppurative meningitis.

Keywords

• Strongyloidiasis
• meningitis/encephalitis
• HTLV-1
• culture-negative suppurative meningitis
• Enterobacteriaceae
• Okinawa