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Determining the etiological basis of central nervous system (CNS) infections is inherently challenging, primarily due to the multi-etiological nature. Using RNA sequencing, we aimed to identify microbes present in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of two patients suffering CNS infection, previously diagnosed with Cryptococcus sp. and Streptococcus pneumoniae infection, respectively. After meta-transcriptomic analysis, and confirmation with real-time PCR, hepatitis B virus (HBV) was detected in the CSF of two patients diagnosed with CNS syndrome. Phylogenetic analysis of the partial HBV genomes from these patients showed that they belonged to genotypes B and C and clustered with other viruses of Asian origin. In countries with high levels of HBV endemicity, the virus is likely to be found in patients diagnosed with CNS infections, although whether it contributes to symptoms and pathology, or is simply a coincidental infection, is unknown and merits further investigation.

Original publication

DOI

10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2019.114878

Type

Journal

Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease

Publication Date

12/2019

Volume

95

Addresses

Zoonosis Science Center, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Charles Perkins Centre, School of Life & Environmental Sciences and Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Public Health Agency of Sweden, Nobels väg 18, SE-171 82, Solna, Sweden; Infectious Diseases and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Lovisenberggata 8, Oslo 0456, Norway. Electronic address: john.pettersson@gmail.com.

Keywords

Cerebrospinal Fluid, Humans, Hepatitis B virus, Central Nervous System Infections, Hepatitis B, DNA, Viral, Anti-Bacterial Agents, Treatment Outcome, Gene Expression Profiling, Phylogeny, Genotype, Genome, Viral, Male, Young Adult, Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction