Update on the situation with aseptic meningitis in Latvia

Cases of aseptic meningitis were reported in the city of Daugavpils – 26 (54% of all cases), Ilūkstes County – 10 cases, Daugavpils County – 5 cases, Rēzeknes County – 3, and 1 case in each of the following counties: Krāslava, Viļāni, Aglona, as well as city of Rēzekne. The first case of aseptic meningitis was reported 26 May in Daugavpils, when a 14-years-old boy got confirmed diagnosis caused by enterovirus Coxsackie A-9. Next patient with symptoms of aseptic meningitis was reported almost a month later – 18 June in Daugavpils, than 2 cases were reported 26 June in counties Rēzeknē and Viļānu. Since 28 June new cases have been reported almost every day in different counties of the Latgale region.

Age of patients reported in the period 26 June – 25 July varied from 2 to 68 years of age, where 80% of all cases were between 2 and 19 years of age. Among infected were 32 men (69.6%) and 14 women (30.4%).

Preliminary results show no connection between these cases, there were no reported clusters. The majority of infected (70%) had a bath in different lakes.

One more case of enteroviral infection caused by enterovirus Coxsackie A-9 was reported in the beginning of July in Daugavpils in a child with gastrointestinal symptoms. This fact might confirm wide spread of Coxsackie A-9 virus in the area.