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Substances which modulate leukocyte migration are present in CSF during meningitis
Author(s) -
Wyler David J.,
Wasserman Stephen I.,
Karchmer Adolf W.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
annals of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.764
H-Index - 296
eISSN - 1531-8249
pISSN - 0364-5134
DOI - 10.1002/ana.410050403
Subject(s) - meningitis , immunology , medicine , cerebrospinal fluid , neuroscience , biology , pediatrics
We studied the effects on in vitro leukocyte migration of cerebrospinal fluid from 14 patients with and 7 patients without meningitis. Meningitic CSF, but not control CSF, contained activity that was chemotactic for peripheral blood leukocytes. In an unusual case of staphylococcal meningitis associated with a blunted CSF pleocytosis and a poor clinical response to antibiotics, an inhibitor of leukocyte chemotaxis was identified in the CSF. This inhibitor may have diminished local leukocyte accumulation in vivo and thereby adversely affected host defence mechanisms and clinical outcome. No inhibitors were found in other CSF samples tested. Soluble mediators present in CSF may modulate the local accumulation of leukocytes and therefore affect host defenses in meningitis.