Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the positivity of C-reactive protein (CRP) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum in children presented with clinical diagnosis of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES).

Methods A total of 164 children between 6 months and 14 years with clinical diagnosis of AES were investigated. Qualitative CRP (slide agglutination) was determined in CSF and serum sample of each patient. On the basis of clinical examination and investigations, all the patients were divided into four groups as pyogenic meningitis, viral encephalitis, tuberculous meningitis, and cerebral malaria. The positivity of CRP in CSF and serum were compared in these groups.

Results CSF CRP was found to be positive in the majority of patients with pyogenic meningitis and a statistically significant (p ≤ 0.001) association was found between CSF CRP and final diagnosis of AES, while this association was nonsignificant (p = 0.141) in case of serum CRP. When we compared the CSF and serum CRP, serum CRP was found to be more suggestive of tuberculous meningitis, viral encephalitis, and cerebral malaria while CSF CRP was more sensitive and specific for the diagnosis of pyogenic meningitis.

Conclusion The sensitivity and specificity of CSF CRP for pyogenic meningitis was quite high. Serum CRP with a high sensitivity can be used as a screening test for different types of meningitis and cerebral malaria; however, its diagnostic accuracy has yet to be established.

目的 本研究旨在评估临床诊断为急性脑炎综合征（AES）的儿童脑脊液（CSF）和血清中C反应蛋白（CRP）的阳性。

方法 对164例6个月至14岁的AES临床诊断的儿童进行调查。在每位患者的CSF和血清样本中测定定性CRP（玻片凝集）。根据临床检查和调查，将所有患者分为化脓性脑膜炎，病毒性脑炎，结核性脑膜炎和脑疟疾四组。比较这些组中CRP在CSF和血清中的阳性率。

结果 CSF CRP被认为是在大多数患者化脓性脑膜炎和统计学显著（正p ≤0.001）关联发现CSF CRP和AES的最终诊断之间，而这种相关性是不显着的（p  = 0.141）中的情况下血清CRP。当我们比较脑脊液和血清CRP时，发现血清CRP提示结核性脑膜炎，病毒性脑炎和脑疟疾，而脑脊液CRP对化脓性脑膜炎的诊断更为敏感和特异。

结论 脑脊液CRP对化脓性脑膜炎的敏感性和特异性较高。具有高敏感性的血清CRP可以用作针对不同类型的脑膜炎和脑疟疾的筛查测试；但是，其诊断准确性尚未确定。