Diagnosis Of Bacterial Meningitis Research Articles

Listeria Rhombencephalitis: A Case of an Immunocompetent Adult

Listeriosis is one of the most important foodborne diseases, caused by a Gram-positive facultative anaerobic intracellular bacterium found in food and the environment, Listeria monocytogenes. It causes one of the most life-threatening bacterial infections of the central nervous system (CNS). Meningoencephalitis and rhomboencephalitis are the most common forms and immunosuppression represents the main risk factor. In this article, we report a case of severe, invasive Listeria monocytogenes rhombencephalitis in a healthy middle-aged man, admitted to our hospital with meningeal syndrome associated with left VI nerve palsy. No apparent abnormality was found in a head CT and brain magnetic resonance imaging. Following the preliminary LP results, a diagnosis of bacterial meningitis was suspected and empirical antibiotic and antiviral therapy was initiated. Because of the lack of any significant improvement in his clinical status, on day 2 of his admission, a genetic identification of CSF pathogens by high-throughput genome sequencing was performed and identified L. monocytogenes. The Clinical status improved with complete recovery after appropriate antibiotic treatment with sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim. In conclusion, in an infectious context, pontine involvement should systematically evoke the diagnosis of listeriosis.

Investigating Procalcitonin and C-Reactive Protein as Diagnostic Biomarkers in Pediatric Suspected Meningitis: A Forward-Looking Observational Analysis

Our study is a prospective observational study done on all suspected cases of meningitis admitted to Tertiary Care Hospital, India to study suspected meningitis cases and assess the predictive value of CRP and PCT in diagnosing meningitis. Indian studies are scarce in this regard. We included all clinically suspected cases of paediatric meningitis in our study.Basic investigations, including blood culture and sensitivity, CRP, and PCT, were sentsoon after admission, and CSF analysis and cultures were done once the child became hemodynamically stable. Based on CSF analysis and culture with a clinical profile, meningitis was diagnosed and classified as bacterial and viral meningitis. In this study,we also compared PCT and CRP in their capacity to predict meningitis and to distinguish between bacterial or viral meningitis. A majority of studies have shown that PCT levels can be used in the early diagnosis of bacterial meningitis. In our study, we found that there is no role for PCT in predicting meningitis. CRP has a positive correlation in predicting meningitis but it is elevated in infectious as well as inflammatory conditions. A simple routine complete CSF analysis is an effective, reliable and feasible way to diagnose meningitis in children. This study reiterates the fact that it is indeed the gold standard diagnostic test as no other single parameter can differentiate or diagnose meningitis.

Outcomes, Symptomatology, and Mortality of Children Presenting With Bacterial Meningitis at Allied Hospitals of Rawalpindi Medical University, Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction Bacterial meningitis (BM) is a neurologic emergency mainly affecting children under the age of two. Clinical symptoms are rarely evident in children, thus making a diagnosis is a challenge. Antibiotic therapy should be started timely to ensure the avoidance of significant morbidity and mortality. This study aims to assess the outcomes, mortality, and symptomatology of children presenting with BM in allied hospitals of Rawalpindi Medical University, Pakistan. Methods It is a cross-sectional study employing a sample size of 201, conducted at the Allied Hospitals of Rawalpindi Medical University, Pakistan from a period of January 2023 to August 2023. Non-probability convenience sampling was used. Children aged between newborns and 14 years of age with a confirmed diagnosis of bacterial meningitis were included in this study. The study population was divided into five different age groups. Three different outcomes were studied including complete recovery, development of complications, and death. Data was entered into and analyzed by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Descriptive statistics were applied to the demographic data. The chi-square analytical test was applied to study the association between the categorical variables. Results One hundred nineteen (59.2%) of the study's population were males. One hundred twenty-six (62.7%) of the patients were born through a spontaneous vaginal delivery (SVD). The majority (54%) of the study population were infants. Twenty-three percent were newborns, 13% were toddlers, 6% were preschool children, and 4% were school-age children. The majority (85%) of the study participants belonged to lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Ninetypercent of the cases had symptoms of fever, seizures, and poor feeding. Neck stiffness was significantly associated with death as an outcome (p-value=0.01). The overall mortality amongst the study population was 20%. Forty-ninepercent of the study population recovered completely, whereas 31% had complications following the diagnosis.Neonates had a higher mortality rate than infants (45% vs 9% respectively). Conclusion The most common presenting symptoms were fever, vomiting, seizures, and neck stiffness. Poor feeding was also seen in most cases. The rate of complications and death is observed to be relatively higher following the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis as compared to rates in the surrounding and developed countries. Out of all signs and symptoms, the presence of neck stiffness was significantly associated with death as an outcome among children with bacterial meningitis.

Decrease in Rates of Hearing Loss From Pediatric Bacterial Meningitis Over Time: A Database Review.

Bacterial meningitis is a leading cause of acquired sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Treatment and prevention of bacterial meningitis have improved over time, but rates of neurologic complications have not been recently studied. The objective here is to present an updated population-based review of hearing loss as a sequela of bacterial meningitis. A retrospective cohort study was conducted between 2010 and 2022 of children discharged with bacterial meningitis, using the Pediatric Health Information System's (PHIS) database. Rates of hearing loss and mortality were evaluated over time. A total of 6138 children with a primary diagnosis of bacterial meningitis were identified (3520 male [57.3%], mean age 5.8 months [2.0, 61.2]). Of these, 277 (4.51%) were diagnosed with hearing loss. Children with hearing loss were significantly older (23.6 vs. 5.3 months, p < 0.01), but differences in gender, race, or ethnicity had no association with hearing loss. Streptococcus pneumoniae, Hemophilus influenzae, and Neisseria meningiditis were associated with significantly higher rates of hearing loss than other etiologies (p < 0.01). Children with hearing loss had a higher rate of receiving dexamethasone than children without hearing loss. Overall mortality rate was 2.1%. Hearing loss and mortality demonstrated significant decreases over the study period. Hearing loss remains a common sequela of bacterial meningitis despite widespread uptake of vaccines for preventing S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, and N. meningitidis. Dexamethasone was not associated with decreased rates of hearing loss in this cohort. From 2010 to 2022, there was a significant decrease in overall rates of mortality and hearing loss for children with bacterial meningitis. Level 3: retrospective case-control series Laryngoscope, 2024.

Diagnostic Accuracy of CSF and Blood Glucose Ratio in Diagnosis of Bacterial Meningitis in Children Using CSF Culture as Gold Standard

Aim: To find the diagnostic accuracy of CSF and blood glucose ratio in diagnosis of bacterial meningitis in children using CSF culture as gold standard. Study design: Cross sectional study Setting and duration: The study was conducted in the department of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, The Children’s Hospital and the Institute of Child Health, Lahore, from 15 May 2021 to 15 February 2022. Methods: A total of 140 children aged 1 month up to 14 years with clinical features suggestive of meningitis was selected. The patients underwent a lumbar puncture after getting consent from parents. The emergency laboratory examinations performed for their predictive value for bacterial meningitis as follows: CSF total cell count, CSF mononuclear cell count, CSF polymorphonuclear cell count, CSF polymorphonuclear/total cell ratio, CSF glucose, CSF/blood glucose ratio. The treatment was then readily started as per protocol for the presumptive diagnosis. Results: Amongst 145 cases, 51.72%(n=75) were upto 6 years of age while 48.28%(n=70) were between 7-14 years of age, mean+sd was calculated as 6.58+3.15 years, 60% were male and 40%(n=58) were females, mean CSF/Blood glucose ratio was calculated as 0.31+0.08. The diagnostic accuracy of CSF and blood glucose ratio in diagnosis of bacterial meningitis in children using CSF culture as gold standard was recorded as 90.32%, 90.36%, 87.5%, 92.59% and 90.34% for sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy rate. Conclusion: Through the findings of this study, we concluded that the diagnostic accuracy of CSF and blood glucose ratio in diagnosis of bacterial meningitis in children using CSF culture as gold standard is higher but needs its validation through some other local trials in absence of previous data. Keywords: Bacterial meningitis, CSF culture, CSF/blood glucose ratio, Diagnostic accuracy

The diagnostic utility of heparin-binding protein among patients with bacterial infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundBacterial infections are considered a leading cause of hospitalization and death globally. There is still a need for a rapid and feasible biomarker for bacterial infections. Heparin-binding protein (HBP) was shown to be related to bacterial infections. The objective of the study is to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of HBP in bacterial infections.MethodsArticles were screened in PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and Cochrane to recognize eligible studies. We included studies investigating the diagnostic accuracy of HBP and reported the necessary data to construct 2 × 2 tables. A univariate analysis was conducted to determine the pooled sensitivity and specificity, and a bivariate diagnostic random-effects model was used to calculate the optimal cut-off point.ResultsThe analysis comprised sixteen studies in total. Plasma HBP showed a sensitivity of 0.90 (95% CI: [0.79, 0.96]) and a specificity of 0.87 (95% CI: [0.66, 0.96]) in diagnosing bacterial infections using blood samples. Pooling data from seven studies revealed that HBP in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has sensitivity and specificity of 96% (95% CI: [0.85, 0.99]), and 95% (95% CI: [0.89, 0.97]), respectively, for the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis. In urinary tract infections (UTI), urine-HBP was revealed to have a high diagnostic value in discriminating bacterial from non-bacterial UTI infection at a cut-off value of 32.868 ng/ml with sensitivity and specificity of 87%.ConclusionHBP has shown a high diagnostic accuracy of bacterial infections, including UTI and meningitis. Further studies are needed to determine its prognostic value and whether it could guide antibiotic therapy.

Increased Risk of Long-Term Disabilities Following Childhood Bacterial Meningitis in Sweden

Few studies have examined the incidence of long-term disabilities due to bacterial meningitis in childhood with extended follow-up time and a nationwide cohort. To describe the long-term risks of disabilities following a childhood diagnosis of bacterial meningitis in Sweden. This nationwide retrospective registry-based cohort study included individuals diagnosed with bacterial meningitis (younger than 18 years) and general population controls matched (1:9) by age, sex, and place of residence. Data were retrieved from the Swedish National Patient Register from January 1, 1987, to December 31, 2021. Data were analyzed from July 13, 2022, to November 30, 2023. A diagnosis of bacterial meningitis in childhood recorded in the National Patient Register between 1987 and 2021. Cumulative incidence of 7 disabilities (cognitive disabilities, seizures, hearing loss, motor function disorders, visual disturbances, behavioral and emotional disorders, and intracranial structural injuries) after bacterial meningitis in childhood. The cohort included 3623 individuals diagnosed with bacterial meningitis during childhood and 32 607 controls from the general population (median age at diagnosis, 1.5 [IQR, 0.4-6.2] years; 44.2% female and 55.8% male, median follow-up time, 23.7 [IQR, 12.2-30.4] years). Individuals diagnosed with bacterial meningitis had higher cumulative incidence of all 7 disabilities, and 1052 (29.0%) had at least 1 disability. The highest absolute risk of disabilities was found for behavioral and emotional disorders, hearing loss, and visual disturbances. The estimated adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) showed a significant increased relative risk for cases compared with controls for all 7 disabilities, with the largest adjusted HRs for intracranial structural injuries (26.04 [95% CI, 15.50-43.74]), hearing loss (7.90 [95% CI, 6.68-9.33]), and motor function disorders (4.65 [95% CI, 3.72-5.80]). The adjusted HRs for cognitive disabilities, seizures, hearing loss, and motor function disorders were significantly higher for Streptococcus pneumoniae infection (eg, 7.89 [95% CI, 5.18-12.02] for seizure) compared with Haemophilus influenzae infection (2.46 [95% CI, 1.63-3.70]) or Neisseria meningitidis infection (1.38 [95% CI, 0.65-2.93]). The adjusted HRs for cognitive disabilities, seizures, behavioral and emotional disorders, and intracranial structural injuries were significantly higher for children diagnosed with bacterial meningitis at an age below the median. The findings of this cohort study of individuals diagnosed with bacterial meningitis during childhood suggest that exposed individuals may have had an increased risk for long-term disabilities (particularly when diagnosed with pneumococcal meningitis or when diagnosed at a young age), highlighting the need to detect disabilities among surviving children.

Current problems of complications of bacterial meningitis

A review of modern Russian and foreign, predominantly English-language, literature on bacterial meningitis and complications resulting from its outcome was carried out. Publications not older than 5 years published in specialized medical journals and manuals were taken into account. The review includes studies in which participants had a verified diagnosis of bacterial meningitis according to modern clinical and laboratory criteria, and were under 18 years of age at the time of the disease. Eligible observational study designs for our review included case-control observational descriptive and analytic studies and cohort studies. Studies were excluded in which participants suffered from any somatic pathologies that could affect the results or provoke complications as a result of neuroinfection. The review also included data from the Russian Reference Center for Monitoring Bacterial Meningitis for 2019.

Diagnostic Utility of Cerebrospinal Fluid White Blood Cell Components for the Identification of Bacterial Meningitis in Infants.

To evaluate the diagnostic and predictive utility of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) white blood cell (WBC) components in the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis in infants discharged from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). We identified a cohort of infants discharged from a Pediatrix NICU between 1997 and 2020 who did not have an immunodeficiency, had at least 1 CSF culture collected within the first 120 days of life, and at least 1 CSF laboratory specimen obtained on the day of culture collection. We only included an infant's first CSF culture and excluded cultures from CSF reservoirs and those growing contaminants or nonbacterial organisms. We examined the utility of CSF WBC components to diagnose or predict bacterial meningitis by calculating sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, likelihood ratios, and area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) at different cutoff values for each parameter. We performed subgroup analysis excluding infants treated with antibiotics the day before CSF culture collection. Of the 20 756 infants that met the study inclusion criteria, 320 (2%) were diagnosed with bacterial meningitis. We found (AUC [95% CI]) CSF WBC count (0.76 [0.73-0.79]), CSF neutrophil count (0.74 [0.70-0.78]), and CSF neutrophil percent (0.71 [0.67-0.75]) had the highest predictive values for bacterial meningitis, even when excluding infants with early antibiotic administration. No single clinical prediction rule had the optimal discriminatory power for predicting culture-proven bacterial meningitis, and clinicians should be cautious when interpreting CSF WBC parameters in infants with suspected meningitis.

Comparison of CSF Lactate and Serum Procalcitonin in Diagnosing Pyogenic Meningitis

Background: Meningitis, a potentially life-threatening inflammation of the meninges, poses diagnostic challenges, particularly in differentiating bacterial meningitis (BM) from other forms. The identification of effective biomarkers is crucial for accurate diagnosis and treatment. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic utility of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) lactate levels and serum procalcitonin (PCT) in distinguishing BM from tuberculous and viral meningitis. Methods: Conducted at the Neurology Department of Pak Emirates Military Hospital from February to May 2023, this observational study included 55 patients, with a mean age of 44.03 years. Patients were selected based on clinical signs and symptoms of meningitis, with those having received prior antibiotic treatment excluded. CSF and serum PCT levels were measured, and statistical analyses were performed to compare these biomarkers across different meningitis etiologies. Results: Of the 55 patients, 30 (54.50%) were diagnosed with BM, 15 (27.30%) with viral meningitis, and 10 (18.20%) with tuberculous meningitis. The mean CSF lactate level in BM patients was 9.36 ± 7.95 mmol/L, significantly higher than in non-bacterial cases. Similarly, serum PCT levels were markedly elevated in BM patients (24.05 ng/ml ± 39.82 ng/ml). The study found a strong correlation between elevated CSF lactate and serum PCT levels with the diagnosis of BM (P &lt; 0.05). Conclusion: CSF lactate levels and serum PCT are reliable biomarkers for diagnosing BM. Their elevated levels in BM patients compared to those with tuberculous or viral meningitis can assist in accurate and timely diagnosis, contributing to improved patient outcomes and effective antibiotic stewardship.

Molecular Analysis of Bacterial Meningitis in Suspected Cases

One hundred and seventy-six cases of suspected meningitis (SMN) were included in a cross-sectional study. Their ages ranged from less than 1 year to 80 years, of whom 44.3% were male. The aim was to assess bacterial meningitis (BMN) in terms of incidence and types of causative bacteria. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens were collected and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis was conducted with universal primers designed to amplify a DNA fragment (996 bp) of the 16S rRNA gene of eubacteria. Resolving PCR products in agarose-gel electrophoresis revealed that 37.5% of CSF specimens were PCR positive, while 62.5% of CSF specimens showed no band and were considered PCR-negative. Eighty percent of the latter specimens were noted to have pleocytosis, in addition to having protein and/or glucose concentrations lower or higher than those in the normal range (abnormal CSF). The remaining 20.0% of CSF specimens were considered normal regarding pleocytosis, protein, and glucose (normal CSF). When the amplified DNA of PCR-positive specimens was subjected to sequencing and alignment with reference sequences, both Gram-negative (GN) and Gram-positive (GP) bacteria were identified (23 and 9 types, respectively). Acinetobacter spp. and Pseudomonas spp. were the most common GN bacteria (each with 17.8%), while Staphylococcus spp. was the most common GP bacteria (43.75%). The study concluded that BMN presents an important public health challenge, and PCR analysis of the CSF was an effective method for diagnosing pathogenic bacteria in SMN. In addition, leukocytes, glucose, and protein are valuable CSF parameters that may aid in the diagnosis of BMN.

Delayed Diagnosis of Post-traumatic Temporal Lobe Meningo Encephalocele: A Rare Case Report of a Child

Introduction: Bone fracture after head trauma is common in children. When a fracture happens in the temporal bone, Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) might leak and/or the temporal lobe protrude (named encephalocele) as a mass inside the middle ear or mastoid or both. Case Presentation: Here, a 10 year old presents with an initial diagnosis of bacterial meningitis. Three years ago after head trauma he had a forgotten bone fracture. Incomplete improvement after primary treatment was achieved. Finally, after seeing a bone fracture on the right roof of the tympani and soft tissue mass in brain High-Resolution Compound Tomography (HRCT),surgical exploration determined the CSF leakage from a right lobe temporal meningo encephalocele. The bone defect was repaired and the patient had complete improvement. Conclusion: In this case with forgotten post traumatic temporal bone fracture, temporal bone encephaloceles lead to CSF leakage inside the middle ear cavity and introduce bacterial meningitis. High-Resolution Compound Tomography (HRCT) of the cranial base defined the bone defect. In recent years, Magnetic Resonance Imaging(MRI) has been known as the best method for the diagnosis of brain tissue herniation in the middle ear cavity. Although to differentiate the encephalocele from other masses (e.g. granulation, cholesteatoma, cholesterol granuloma, etc.) inside the middle ear cavity in an MRI is not easy. Surgical multilayered closure of the dura and simultaneous repair of the bone defect is needed.

Evaluation of Biological Markers in Children's Cerebrospinal Fluid with Bacterial and Viral Meningitis

Background and Aims: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood biomarkers are widely evaluated as diagnostic tools to distinguish between bacterial meningitis and viral meningitis in emergency laboratory tests. So, this aimed to examine the levels of diagnostic parameters in blood and CSF to discriminate between bacterial and viral meningitis in young children referred to Khoy Hospital.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: A total of 101 young children with meningitis were enrolled in this prospective study. The diagnosis of bacterial and viral meningitis was based on clinical features and laboratory findings.&#x0D; Results: Of the 101 patients with meningitis, 18 (17.82%) were bacterial, and 83 (82.17%) were viral meningitis. The levels of CSF glucose and CSF/blood glucose ratio were significantly lower in the bacterial meningitis group than in the viral meningitis group (p &lt; 0.01). In contrast, white blood cells count, CSF protein, interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, and ferritin levels were significantly higher in patients with bacterial meningitis compared to viral meningitis (p &lt; 0.01). However, there was no difference between viral and bacterial meningitis groups concerning mean serum glucose.&#x0D; Conclusion: This study suggests that decreased CSF glucose and CSF/blood glucose ratio and increased white blood cells count, CSF protein, ferritin, interleukin-6, and C-reactive protein combined with clinical symptoms can help better diagnosis of bacterial meningitis, especially in comparison with viral meningitis.

Comparison of Multiplex Quantitative Real-Time PCR and Culture Methods for the Diagnosis of Bacterial Meningitis in Patients with Suspected Meningitis

Comparison of Multiplex Quantitative Real-Time PCR and Culture Methods for the Diagnosis of Bacterial Meningitis in Patients with Suspected Meningitis

Are cerebrospinal fluid biochemical parameters valid to predict positive results in microbiological molecular diagnostic platforms? A 4-year experience with the FilmArray® Panel Meningitis/Encephalitis for detection of community-acquired bacterial meningitis

ObjectiveTo demonstrate whether the use of the FilmArray® Meningitis/Encephalitis panel (M/E) in the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis can be optimized based on the screening of cerebrospinal fluid biochemical parameters and whether there is a correlation between biochemical data and positive results of the technique. Material and methodsWe used data from La Paz University Hospital between September 5, 2017 and December 1, 2021, from patients who had had the FilmArray® panel M/E performed on cerebrospinal fluid samples. ResultsBacterial meningitis was suspected in 63.9% of the patients; 38.15% had a positive result on the FilmArray® panel M/E, of which 68.97% were isolated in culture. Of the biochemical parameters studied in cerebrospinal fluid, white blood cell count, lactate, and protein were increased in PCR-positive patients, but glucose was decreased. DiscussionOnly lactate showed a significant contribution to the model, with a cut-off point of 4.65 mmol/L with a sensitivity of 81.5% and a specificity of 96.4%.

The usefulness of hematological parameters and cerebrospinal fluid indexes in the differential diagnosis of acute bacterial from viral meningitis

Central nervous system (CNS) infection is a medical emergency with an important cause of mortality worldwide. The 79 patients with confirmed acute CNS infection (48 bacterial and 31 viral meningitis) were evaluated. Bacterial meningitis score, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)/serum glucose ratio, and CSF/serum albumin ratio had the highest area under the curves (0.873, 0.843, 0.810, respectively) for discriminating bacterial meningitis. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and CSF lactate dehydrogenase have a good ability for the differential diagnosis of bacterial meningitis. CSF/serum glucose ratio, NLR (with a cut-off value> 8.87), large unstained cell, total protein, albumin, and procalcitonin levels were found to be predictors for mortality. NLR can be used as a biomarker to differentiate bacterial meningitis from viral meningitis and to predict the prognosis of CNS infection. CSF/serum albumin ratio and CSF lactate dehydrogenase can be used to predict bacterial meningitis as well as CSF/serum glucose ratio.

The Diagnostic Value of Cerebrospinal Fluid Lactate for Detection of Sepsis in Community-Acquired Bacterial Meningitis.

Community-acquired bacterial meningitis conveys significant morbidity and mortality due to intracranial and systemic complications, and sepsis is a major contributor to the latter. While cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis is essential in the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis, its predictive utility for detection of sepsis is unknown. We investigated the diagnostic performance of CSF parameters for sepsis defined by the Sepsis-3 criteria in a retrospective cohort of patients with community-acquired bacterial meningitis. Among 103 patients, 69.5% developed sepsis. CSF lactate was associated with sepsis with an odds ratio of 1.11 (p = 0.022), while CSF cell counts, glucose and protein levels were not (all p > 0.4). Employing the optimal cutoff of 8.2 mmol/L, elevated CSF lactate resulted in a sensitivity of 81.5% and specificity of 61.5% for sepsis. In exploratory analyses, CSF lactate was also associated with in-hospital mortality with an odds ratio of 1.21 (p = 0.011). Elevated CSF lactate might contribute to early diagnosis of sepsis as well as prognostication in patients with community-acquired bacterial meningitis.

Cerebrospinal fluid cytokines and chemokines exhibit distinct profiles in bacterial meningitis and viral meningitis.

Differential diagnosis of bacterial meningitis (BM) and viral meningitis (VM) is a critical clinical challenge, as the early and accurate identification of the causative agent determines the appropriate treatment regimen and markedly improves patient outcomes. Clinical and experimental studies have demonstrated that the pathogen and the host immune response contribute to mortality and neurological sequelae. As BM is associated with the activation of an inflammatory cascade, the patterns of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines/chemokines (CTs/CKs) present in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in response to the immune assault may be useful as sensitive markers for differentiating BM from VM. In the present study, the ability of CTs/CKs in the CSF to differentiate between BM and VM was investigated. For this, biochemical markers and CT/CK profiles were analysed in 145 CSF samples, divided into three groups: BM (n=61), VM (n=58) and the control group (C; n=26) comprising patients with meningism. The CSF concentrations of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, interleukin (IL)-8, IL-1β, IL-6, macrophage inflammatory protein-1α (MIP-1α), epithelial-neutrophil activating peptide, IL-10, tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), proteins and white blood cells were significantly higher and the CSF glucose level was significantly lower in the BM group compared with the VM and C groups (P<0.01). Correlation analysis identified 28 significant correlations between various CTs/CKs in the BM group (P<0.01), with the strongest positive correlations being for TNF-α/IL-6 (r=0.75), TNF-α/MIP-1α (r=0.69), TNF-α/IL-1β (r=0.64) and IL-1β/MIP-1α (r=0.64). To identify the optimum CT/CK patterns for predicting and classifying BM and VM, a dataset of 119 BM and VM samples was divided into training (n=90) and testing (n=29) subsets for use as input for a Random Forest (RF) machine learning algorithm. For the 29 test samples (15 BM and 14 VM), the RF algorithm correctly classified 28 samples, with 92% sensitivity and 93% specificity. The results show that the patterns of CT/CK levels in the CSF can be used to aid discrimination of BM and VM.

The Specificity, Sensitivity, and Diagnostic Accuracy of CSF-CRP in the Diagnosis of Acute Bacterial Meningitis- A Hospital-Based Study

Introduction: Bacteria that enter the bloodstream and mobile to the brain cord cause bacterial meningitis. The disease is less frequent in developed countries compared to developing countries. In Bangladesh, bacterial meningitis constitutes 25% and the case fatality rate was 14%. The mortality from meningitis is near 100% in untreated individuals and can still be up to 40% in children who received appropriate antibiotic therapy in developing countries. Aim of the Study: The study aims to investigate the specificity, sensitivity, and diagnostic accuracy of CSF-CRP in the diagnosis of Acute Bacterial Meningitis (ABM). Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was carried out in the Department of Pediatric Medicine, Dhaka Shishu Hospital (DSH), from 01 Jan-2017 to 30 Jun-2017. A total of 100 patients were enrolled in this study following the inclusive criteria. Data were collected using the predesigned semi-structured questionnaire. Verbal consent was taken before recruiting the study population. Completed data forms were reviewed, edited, and processed for computer data entry. Result: Among the study population majority of patients (43, 43.0%) were 0-2 years old. One-third of bacterial meningitis (35,35.0%) occurs commonly at an early age (0-2 years). Out of fifty- seven cases (n=57) of bacterial meningitis, twenty-two cases were culture negative and thirty-five cases were culture positive. In the case of bacterial meningitis, in fifty-one cases (51,89.4%) out of fifty-seven, the CSF CRP test was truly positive, with mean±SD 21.7±10.9, false negative were only six cases (6, 10.5%). In aseptic meningitis thirty-nine cases (39,90.6%) out of forty-three cases, the CSF-CRP test was truly negative, and false positive were four cases (4,9.3%). The sensitivity of CSF CRP in differentiating bacterial meningitis from aseptic meningitis was 89.47%, specificity 90.69%, &amp; diagnostic accuracy was 90%. Conclusion: Bacterial meningitis is fatal and more communal in children under one year of age to sixteen years of age. Increased consciousness and initial gratitude and apposite antibiotic treatment can decrease morbidity and mortality. Diagnostic accuracy can be applied as the initial test for the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis.

Diagnosis of bacterial meningitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, and Haemophilus influenzae using a multiplex real-time PCR technique.

Bacterial meningitis is one of the diseases that, despite the introduction of several vaccines, remains a serious public health concern. Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn), Neisseria meningitidis (Nm), and Haemophilus influenzae (Hi) are responsible for most cases diagnosed in children, adolescents, and adult population. Rapid, sensitive, and specific laboratory assays are critical for effective diagnosis and treatment, particularly in countries like Mexico in which culture positivity rates are very low due to the use of antibiotics prior to sample collection and to delay in transporting samples to the laboratory. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) as a rapid diagnostic test for bacterial meningitis and compare these results with bacterial culture in three general hospitals in Mexico. During a 5-year period (2014-2018), a total of 512 CSF samples obtained from patients in whom infectious meningitis was suspected as initial clinical diagnosis were tested with RT-PCR with species-specific targets for the three pathogens. For Spn, 5.07% samples were RT-PCR positive; 0.39% for Nm and none for Hi. Only five RT-PCR Spn positive samples had a positive culture. Sensitivity and specificity estimates for RT-PCR are 100% and 95.46%, respectively. DNA amplification methods can provide better sensitive diagnostic tests than the reference standard, which is culture, particularly when antimicrobial treatment is initiated before clinical samples can be obtained.