Mumps Meningoencephalitis in Stockholm: IV. Attempts at Virus Isolation from the Urine in Hospitalized Mumps Cases with or without Diagnosed Mumps Meningoencephalitis

Abstract

The results of virus isolation attempts on 185 specimens of urine collected from 114 patients were analysed. Irrespective of age group mumps virus fairly frequently was demonstrated in specimens of urine during the first 9 days after clinical onset of mumps disease. In some cases mumps virus was recovered from urine as late as 18 days after onset. Out of the 114 patients 77 were shown to be cases of meningoencephalitis. From these latter cases specimens both of urine and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were received for isolation attempts. Factors like age of a patient and stage of disease at the sampling occasion are shown to influence recovery rates from urine and CSF differently. Combined isolation attempts performed on urine and CSF specimens from the same patient made it possible to obtain high total recovery rates in cases of mumps meningoencephalitis.