Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (855 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
An inflammatory process involving the brain (encephalitis) and meninges (meningitis), most often produced by pathogenic organisms which invade the central nervous system, and occasionally by toxins, autoimmune disorders, and other conditions.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Meningoencephalitides; Encephalomeningitis; Encephalomeningitides; Cerebromeningitis; Cerebromeningitides.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Central Nervous System Viral Diseases; Central Nervous System Infections; Encephalitis; Meningitis
- Narrower topics
- Lupus Vasculitis, Central Nervous System
Related concepts
- Encephalitis
- Meningitis
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 8,005 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Meningoencephalitis” (counts retrieved 2026-10-29). 1,048 of them (13.1%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 4,207 records.
Reviews account for 743 records (9.3%) and meta-analyses for 24. Randomized controlled trials number 9 (0.1%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up only a small share of this literature, so much of what is known comes from laboratory, observational or descriptive work.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 4,207 |
| 2000-2009 | 1,298 |
| 2010-2019 | 1,452 |
| 2020 onward | 1,048 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 743 | 9.3% |
| Meta-analyses | 24 | 0.3% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 9 | 0.1% |
Method: PubMed query "Meningoencephalitis"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-29.
Reading the evidence in infectious diseases
Infectious disease evidence combines microbiology, epidemiology and clinical trials. Laboratory studies identify pathogens and how they cause harm; surveillance and outbreak investigations describe who is affected and how infection spreads; trials establish whether treatments and vaccines work. Results depend on place and time, because pathogens evolve and resistance patterns and population immunity change. Check when and where the data were collected, how cases were defined and how up to date the evidence is.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fungal kinases and transcription factors regulating brain infection in Cryptococcus neoformans | 2020 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 72 | cc by PMID 32251295 · DOI · PMC7090016 |
| Unprecedented increase of West Nile virus neuroinvasive disease, Spain, summer 2020 | 2021 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 65 | cc by PMID 33988123 · DOI · PMC8120797 |
| Gene Expression of Diverse Cryptococcus Isolates during Infection of the Human Central Nervous System | 2021 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 52 | cc by PMID 34724829 · DOI · PMC8561399 |
| Endothelial Dysfunction: Insights into Systemic Lupus Erythematosus-associated Cardiovascular Disease and Neuropsychiatric Manifestations | 2026 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 4 | cc by PMID 41795008 · DOI · PMC12967630 |
Fungal kinases and transcription factors regulating brain infection in Cryptococcus neoformans [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Cryptococcus neoformans causes fatal fungal meningoencephalitis.
- Closing excerpt
- neoformans.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (161 words)
Cryptococcus neoformans causes fatal fungal meningoencephalitis. Here, we study the roles played by fungal kinases and transcription factors (TFs) in blood-brain barrier (BBB) crossing and brain infection in mice. We use a brain infectivity assay to screen signature-tagged mutagenesis (STM)-based libraries of mutants defective in kinases and TFs, generated in the C. neoformans H99 strain. We also monitor in vivo transcription profiles of kinases and TFs during host infection using NanoString technology. These analyses identify signalling components involved in BBB adhesion and crossing, or survival in the brain parenchyma. The TFs Pdr802, Hob1, and Sre1 are required for infection under all the conditions tested here. Hob1 controls the expression of several factors involved in brain infection, including inositol transporters, a metalloprotease, PDR802, and SRE1. However, Hob1 is dispensable for most cellular functions in Cryptococcus deuterogattii R265, a strain that does not target the brain during infection. Our results indicate that Hob1 is a master regulator of brain infectivity in C. neoformans.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 32251295 · DOI · PMC7090016
Unprecedented increase of West Nile virus neuroinvasive disease, Spain, summer 2020 [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Cases of West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND) in Spain increased in summer 2020.
- Closing excerpt
- Going forward, maintenance of vector control activities and an update of the vector-borne diseases response plan in Spain is needed.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (184 words)
Cases of West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND) in Spain increased in summer 2020. Here we report on this increase and the local, regional and national public health measures taken in response. We analysed data from regional surveillance networks and the National Epidemiological Surveillance Network, both for human and animal West Nile virus (WNV) infection. During the 2020 season, a total of 77 human cases of WNV infection (median age 65 years; 60% males) were detected in the south-west of Spain; 72 (94%) of these cases developed WNND, presenting as meningoencephalitis, seven of which were fatal. In the previous two decades, only six human cases of WNND were detected in Spain. Reduced activities for vector control this season, together with other factors, might have contributed to the massive increase. Public health measures including vector control, campaigns to raise awareness among physicians and the general population, and interventions to ensure the safety of donations of blood products, organs, cells and tissues were effective to reduce transmission. Going forward, maintenance of vector control activities and an update of the vector-borne diseases response plan in Spain is needed.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 33988123 · DOI · PMC8120797
Gene Expression of Diverse Cryptococcus Isolates during Infection of the Human Central Nervous System [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Cryptococcus neoformans is a major human central nervous system (CNS) fungal pathogen causing considerable morbidity and mortality.
- Closing excerpt
- Based on these results, future studies can focus on how these genes and their pathways and networks can be targeted with new therapeutics and possibly classify yeasts with bad infection outcomes.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (388 words)
Cryptococcus neoformans is a major human central nervous system (CNS) fungal pathogen causing considerable morbidity and mortality. In this study, we provide the widest view to date of the yeast transcriptome directly from the human subarachnoid space and within cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). We captured yeast transcriptomes from C. neoformans of various genotypes in 31 patients with cryptococcal meningoencephalitis as well as several Cryptococcus gattii infections. Using transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) analyses, we compared the in vivo yeast transcriptomes to those from other environmental conditions, including in vitro growth on nutritious media or artificial CSF as well as samples collected from rabbit CSF at two time points. We ranked gene expressions and identified genetic patterns and networks across these diverse isolates that reveal an emphasis on carbon metabolism, fatty acid synthesis, transport, cell wall structure, and stress-related gene functions during growth in CSF. The most highly expressed yeast genes in human CSF included those known to be associated with survival or virulence and highlighted several genes encoding hypothetical proteins. From that group, a gene encoding the CMP1 putative glycoprotein (CNAG_06000) was selected for functional studies. This gene was found to impact the virulence of Cryptococcus in both mice and the CNS rabbit model, in agreement with a recent study also showing a role in virulence. This transcriptional analysis strategy provides a view of regulated yeast genes across genetic backgrounds important for human CNS infection and a relevant resource for the study of cryptococcal genes, pathways, and networks linked to human disease. IMPORTANCE Cryptococcus is the most common fungus causing high-morbidity and -mortality human meningitis. This encapsulated yeast has a unique propensity to travel to the central nervous system to produce disease. In this study, we captured transcriptomes of yeasts directly out of the human cerebrospinal fluid, the most concerning site of infection. By comparing the RNA transcript levels with other conditions, we gained insights into how the basic machinery involved in metabolism and environmental responses enable this fungus to cause disease at this body site. This approach was applied to clinical isolates with diverse genotypes to begin to establish a genotype-agnostic understanding of how the yeast responds to stress. Based on these results, future studies can focus on how these genes and their pathways and networks can be targeted with new therapeutics and possibly classify yeasts with bad infection outcomes.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 34724829 · DOI · PMC8561399
Endothelial Dysfunction: Insights into Systemic Lupus Erythematosus-associated Cardiovascular Disease and Neuropsychiatric Manifestations [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and neuropsychiatric manifestations are common in patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), often sharing a vascular origin with endothelial dysfunction central to their development.
- Closing excerpt
- Finally, we discuss emerging therapeutic strategies aimed at restoring endothelial function to improve cardiovascular and neuropsychiatric outcomes in SLE.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (122 words)
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and neuropsychiatric manifestations are common in patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), often sharing a vascular origin with endothelial dysfunction central to their development. The endothelium plays a critical role in regulating systemic and cerebral blood flow and influencing end-organ damage in SLE. In this review, we summarize foundational and recent studies linking vascular dysfunction to CVD and neuropsychiatric outcomes, emphasizing the roles of endothelial activation, endothelial progenitor cells, blood-brain barrier dysfunction, and vascular autoantibodies. We also highlight animal models that facilitate the study of vascular and cerebral manifestations, clarifying the interconnected contributions of endothelial health to SLE-related organ damage. Finally, we discuss emerging therapeutic strategies aimed at restoring endothelial function to improve cardiovascular and neuropsychiatric outcomes in SLE.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 41795008 · DOI · PMC12967630
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article EULAR recommendations for the management of systemic lupus erythematosus with neuropsychiatric manifestations: report of a task force of the EULAR standing committee for clinical affairs [5]
- Research article Neuropsychiatric lupus: new mechanistic insights and future treatment directions [6]
- Research article Diagnosis and management of neuropsychiatric SLE [7]
- Research article Naegleria and Acanthamoeba infections: review [8]
- Research article Autoantibodies involved in neuropsychiatric SLE and antiphospholipid syndrome [9]
- Research article The diagnosis and clinical management of the neuropsychiatric manifestations of lupus [10]
References
- Lee KT, Hong J, Lee DG, Lee M, Cha S, Lim YG, et al.. Fungal kinases and transcription factors regulating brain infection in Cryptococcus neoformans. . 2020. PMID 32251295 · DOI · PMC7090016
- García San Miguel Rodríguez-Alarcón L, Fernández-Martínez B, Sierra Moros MJ, Vázquez A, Julián Pachés P, García Villacieros E, et al.. Unprecedented increase of West Nile virus neuroinvasive disease, Spain, summer 2020. . 2021. PMID 33988123 · DOI · PMC8120797
- Yu CH, Sephton-Clark P, Tenor JL, Toffaletti DL, Giamberardino C, Haverkamp M, et al.. Gene Expression of Diverse Cryptococcus Isolates during Infection of the Human Central Nervous System. . 2021. PMID 34724829 · DOI · PMC8561399
- Butler HM, Zehntner ME, Van Beusecum JP. Endothelial Dysfunction: Insights into Systemic Lupus Erythematosus-associated Cardiovascular Disease and Neuropsychiatric Manifestations. . 2026. PMID 41795008 · DOI · PMC12967630
- Bertsias GK, Ioannidis JP, Aringer M, Bollen E, Bombardieri S, Bruce IN, et al.. EULAR recommendations for the management of systemic lupus erythematosus with neuropsychiatric manifestations: report of a task force of the EULAR standing committee for clinical affairs. Ann Rheum Dis. 2010. PMID 20724309 · DOI
- Schwartz N, Stock AD, Putterman C. Neuropsychiatric lupus: new mechanistic insights and future treatment directions. Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2019. PMID 30659245 · DOI · PMC8023338
- Hanly JG. Diagnosis and management of neuropsychiatric SLE. Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2014. PMID 24514913 · DOI
- Ma P, Visvesvara GS, Martinez AJ, Theodore FH, Daggett PM, Sawyer TK. Naegleria and Acanthamoeba infections: review. Rev Infect Dis. 1990. PMID 2193354 · DOI
- Zandman-Goddard G, Chapman J, Shoenfeld Y. Autoantibodies involved in neuropsychiatric SLE and antiphospholipid syndrome. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2007. PMID 17258299 · DOI
- Govoni M, Bortoluzzi A, Padovan M, Silvagni E, Borrelli M, Donelli F, et al.. The diagnosis and clinical management of the neuropsychiatric manifestations of lupus. J Autoimmun. 2016. PMID 27427403 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-29.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.