aseptic meningitis

noun

: meningitis not caused by a bacterial infection that is of the milder type typically caused by any of numerous viruses

In humans, the West Nile virus can cause encephalitis, a fatal swelling of the brain, and aseptic meningitis, a swelling of the lining of the brain and spinal cord.

—Vaishali Honawar, The Washington Times

Among patients assessed for postoperative meningitis, aseptic meningitis as a result of the local inflammatory reaction to blood breakdown products may account for up to 70% of cases.

—Diederik van de Beek et al., The New England Journal of Medicine