目的　了解化脓性脑膜炎和病毒性脑炎患儿脑脊液 (CSF)中白细胞介素 8(IL 8)和肿瘤坏死因子(TNF)水平的改变及临床意义。方法　采用ELISA法对 2 0例化脓性脑膜炎 (PM ) ,17例病毒性脑膜脑炎 (VME) ,2 5例病毒性脑炎 (VE)患儿和 15例对照组儿童CSF中IL 8和TNF水平进行了检测。并观察CSF中IL 8,TNF水平与CSF常规及生化检查各指标的相关性。结果　PM组CSF中IL 8和TNF水平分别为 ( 4 43± 2 4 7)ng/L和( 640± 2 83 )ng/L ,明显高于VME组 [( 184± 86)ng/L和 ( 15 4± 95 )ng/L],VE组 [( 5 4± 3 6)ng/L和 ( 3 0± 2 6)ng/L]和对照组 [( 2 7± 2 0 )ng/L和 ( 2 4± 2 1)ng/L]( P <0 .0 1) ;VME组CSF中IL 8和TNF水平亦高于VE组和对照组 (P <0 .0 1) ;VE组CSF中IL 8较对照组有所升高 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,但其TNF水平与对照组比较差异无显著性(P >0 .0 5 )。对患儿CSF中IL 8与TNF进行相关性分析显示 :PM组IL 8与TNF呈明显正相关 (r =0 .682 ,P<0 .0 1) ;VME组IL 8与TNF亦呈一定正相关关系 ( r=0 .5 3 4 ,P <0 .0 5 )。对患儿CSF常规和生化检查各指标与IL 8,TNF进行相关性分析显示 :PM组患儿CSF中性粒细胞计数与IL 8水平呈明显正相关 (r =0 .777,P <0 .0 1) ,而VME组和VE组患儿CSF中性粒细胞数与IL 8水平未见显著相? Objective To investigate the changes and clinical significance of interleukin 8 (IL 8) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of children with purulent meningitis and viral encephalitis. Methods Twenty cases of purulent meningitis (PM), 17 cases of viral meningoencephalitis (VME), 25 cases of viral encephalitis (VE) and 15 cases of control children TNF levels were tested. The correlation between IL-8 and TNF levels in CSF and the indexes of routine and biochemical tests of CSF was also observed. Results The levels of IL 8 and TNF in the CSF of CSF were (443 ± 2 47) ng / L and (640 ± 2 83) ng / L, respectively, significantly higher than those in VME [(184 ± 86) ng / L and 15 4 ± 95 ng / L], VE group [(54 ± 36) ng / L and (30 ± 26) ng / L] and control group [(27 ± 20) ng / L and (2 4 ± 2 1) ng / L] (P <0.01). The levels of IL 8 and TNF in CSF of VME group were also higher than those of VE group and control group (P <0.01) Compared with the control group, IL-8 increased (P <0.05), but there was no significant difference in TNF level between the two groups (P> 0.05). Correlation analysis of IL 8 and TNF in children with CSF showed that there was a significant positive correlation between IL 8 and TNF in PM group (r = 0.682, P <0.01), IL 8 and TNF in VME group were also positive Correlation (r = 0 .5 3 4, P <0. 05). Correlation analysis of routine and biochemical indexes of children with IL 8 and TNF showed that there was a significant positive correlation between CSF neutrophil count and IL 8 level in children with PM (r = 0.777, P <0. 0 1). However, there was no significant correlation between the number of CSF neutrophils and IL-8 levels in VME group and VE group.