Aseptic meningitis refers to a clinical syndrome of meningeal inflammation in 
which bacteria cannot be identified in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The viral 
etiology and the epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of 
aseptic meningitis among children aged 2 months to 15 years in Shiraz, southern 
Iran were determined. From May 2007 to April 2008, 65 patients were admitted to 
the hospital with aseptic meningitis. Seven viruses, non-polio human 
enteroviruses, mumps virus, herpes simplex virus (HSV), varicella-zoster virus 
(VZV), human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), human herpes virus type 6 (HHV-6), and 
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) were investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) 
method. Viruses were detected in 30 (46.2%) patients in whom non-polio human 
enterovirus and mumps virus were detected in 13 (43.3%) and 11 (36.7%), 
respectively. The remaining 6 (20%) of the cases were caused by HSV, VZV, HCMV, 
and HHV-6. Haemophilus influenzae and non-polio human enterovirus were detected 
in one patient simultaneously. Viral meningitis was found to be more frequent 
during spring and summer. The majority (66.6%) of the patients were treated in 
the hospital for 10 days and had received antibiotics in the case of bacterial 
meningitis. Rapid diagnosis of viral meningitis using PCR testing of CSF can 
help shorten hospitalization, and avoid the unnecessary use of antibiotics.