Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus in southern France: four case reports and a review of the literature.

Infections due to choriomeningitis virus have been only infrequently reported in humans. Most cases have been diagnosed during laboratory outbreaks in the USA and Germany. In this report, we describe 4 cases of acute meningitis due to choriomeningitis virus occurring after close contact with domestic syrian hamsters. Although the disease is usually mild, some fatal cases have been described. The purpose of this report is to alert physicians to the possibility of lymphocytic choriomeningitis in patients who have had close contact with Syrian hamsters.