viral meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord caused by viral infection it is also called aseptic meningitis or subsumed under lymphocytic choriomeningitis lcm due to its cerebrospinal fluid csf test resultsiral meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord caused by viral infection it is also called aseptic meningitis or subsumed under lymphocytic choriomeningitis lcm due to its cerebrospinal fluid csf test results