Table 1 Comparison of demographic and cerebrospinal fluid parameters between patients with cerebral malaria, presumed viral encephalitis and controls.

Age (years)

7.0 (2.7)

7.0 (3.5)

1.7 (1.2)

<0.01^a

Gender (male)

7

6

9

ns^b

CSF-parameters:

   White cells (cells/μl)^c

0 (0–3)

4 (0–9)

0 (0–4)

<0.01^d

   Glucose (mmol/l)

2.7 (0.3)

4.2 (0.4)

3.3 (0.6)

<0.01^a

   Protein (g/l)

0.4 (0.04)

0.5 (0.06)

0.3 (0.10)

<0.01^a

   CSF-ADA (IU/l)

4.6 (0.9)

3.8 (1.0)

3.3 (0.8)

<0.01^a

   Serum ADA (IU/l)^c

14.4 (11.6–17.5)

6.5 (4.8–10.1)

6.1 (4.4–8.9)

<0.01^d

   Ratio CSF/serum ADA

0.31 (0.05)

0.54 (0.11)

0.53 (0.13)

<0.01^a

   CSF-LDH (IU/ml)

20.7 (2.8)

26.5 (5.8)

15.9 (3.8)

<0.01^a

   Serum LDH (IU/ml)

214.1 (25.7)

247.5 (46.8)

244.0 (57.7)

ns ^a

   Ratio CSF/serum LDH

0.09 (0.02)

0.11 (0.02)

0.07 (0.01)

<0.01^a