病毒性脑膜炎是最常见的中枢神经系统 (CNS) 感染之一。病例的数量很难估计，因为症状往往太轻微以至于被误诊为感冒，[4]NHS Direct. Meningitis: viral meningitis. April 2016. http://www.nhs.uk/ (last accessed 24 September 2016).http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Meningitis/Pages/Introduction.aspx而且很多病例没有进行诊断性腰椎穿刺。据报道，美国的年发病率为11/10万，而细菌性脑膜炎的发病率为8.6/10万。[5]Hammer SM, Connolly KJ. Viral aseptic meningitis in the United States: clinical features, viral etiologies and differential diagnosis. Curr Clin Top Infect Dis. 1992;12:1-25.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1642795?tool=bestpractice.com病毒性脑膜炎可影响任何年龄，但在儿童中最为常见。在雅典地区，14 岁以下住院的病毒性脑膜炎年平均发病率是17/10万。1 至 5 岁儿童发病率则上升到26/10万。[6]Michos AG, Syriopoulou VP, Hadjichristodoulou C, et al. Aseptic meningitis in children: analysis of 506 cases. PLoS ONE. 2007;2:e674.http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0000674http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17668054?tool=bestpractice.com在韩国，发病率最高的是 1 周岁以下和 4 至 7 岁儿童。[6]Michos AG, Syriopoulou VP, Hadjichristodoulou C, et al. Aseptic meningitis in children: analysis of 506 cases. PLoS ONE. 2007;2:e674.http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0000674http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17668054?tool=bestpractice.com[7]Lee KY, Burgner D, Lee HS, et al. The changing epidemiology of pediatric aseptic meningitis in Daejeon, Korea from 1987 to 2003. BMC Infect Dis. 2005;5:97.http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2334/5/97http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16262909?tool=bestpractice.com病毒性脑膜炎在美国每年导致多达 42,000 人入院。[8]Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Outbreaks of aseptic meningitis associated with Echoviruses 9 and 30 and preliminary surveillance reports on enterovirus activity - United States, 2003. MMWR Weekly. 2003;52:761-764.http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5232a1.htm发病率的种族差异尚无描述。男性发病率高于女性。[5]Hammer SM, Connolly KJ. Viral aseptic meningitis in the United States: clinical features, viral etiologies and differential diagnosis. Curr Clin Top Infect Dis. 1992;12:1-25.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1642795?tool=bestpractice.com[7]Lee KY, Burgner D, Lee HS, et al. The changing epidemiology of pediatric aseptic meningitis in Daejeon, Korea from 1987 to 2003. BMC Infect Dis. 2005;5:97.http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2334/5/97http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16262909?tool=bestpractice.com[6]Michos AG, Syriopoulou VP, Hadjichristodoulou C, et al. Aseptic meningitis in children: analysis of 506 cases. PLoS ONE. 2007;2:e674.http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0000674http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17668054?tool=bestpractice.com[5]Hammer SM, Connolly KJ. Viral aseptic meningitis in the United States: clinical features, viral etiologies and differential diagnosis. Curr Clin Top Infect Dis. 1992;12:1-25.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1642795?tool=bestpractice.com非肠道病毒型病毒性脑膜炎中有很大一部分是由虫媒病毒造成的。[6]Michos AG, Syriopoulou VP, Hadjichristodoulou C, et al. Aseptic meningitis in children: analysis of 506 cases. PLoS ONE. 2007;2:e674.http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0000674http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17668054?tool=bestpractice.com[7]Lee KY, Burgner D, Lee HS, et al. The changing epidemiology of pediatric aseptic meningitis in Daejeon, Korea from 1987 to 2003. BMC Infect Dis. 2005;5:97.http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2334/5/97http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16262909?tool=bestpractice.com北美的虫媒病毒感染发病率在夏秋季节达到高峰，此时是蚊子或扁虱虫载体最活跃的时期。许多虫媒病毒仅存在于特定的地理区域；但可能会改变，例如西尼罗河病毒感染突然出现在欧洲和北美。[9]Rotbart HA, Brennan PJ, Fife KH. Enterovirus meningitis in adults. Clin Infect Dis. 1998;27:896-898.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9798053?tool=bestpractice.com[10]Khetsuriani N, Lamonte-Fowlkes A, Oberst S, et al. Enterovirus surveillance - United States, 1970-2005. MMWR Surveill Summ. 2006;55:1-20.http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5508a1.htmhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16971890?tool=bestpractice.com[11]Nash D, Mostashari F, Fine A, et al. The outbreak of West Nile virus infection in the New York City area in 1999. N Engl J Med. 2001;344:1807-1814.http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM200106143442401#t=articlehttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11407341?tool=bestpractice.com
