title: Assessment of an immunoassay for interferon-alpha in cerebrospinal fluid as a diagnostic aid in infections of the central nervous system.
abstract: A highly sensitive and specific immunoradiometric assay, based upon a monoclonal antibody, was used to measure interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with central nervous system infections and in controls with non-infectious neurological disorders. IFN-alpha was detected in all 21 patients with viral meningitis but in only one of four patients with non-viral aseptic meningitis. It was also present in the CSF of three of four patients with herpes encephalitis and five of seven patients with acute bacterial meningitis. By contrast, IFN-alpha was present in the CSF in low concentrations in only five (7%) of 71 neurological controls. This rapid test is positive in viral meningitis and may help in distinguishing viral infection from other causes of aseptic meningitis. It is usually negative in non-infective disorders but will not distinguish between viral and bacterial infections.
authors: St James's University of Hospital, Leeds, U.K.
authors: R J
authors: RJ
authors: Abbott
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Bolderson
authors: P J
authors: PJ
authors: Gruer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D008297:Male; D008580:Meningism / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008581:Meningitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008582:Meningitis, Aseptic / Q000175:diagnosis; D008587:Meningitis, Viral / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I