title: Lactate production by aerobic bacteria grown in cerebrospinal fluid.
abstract: The source of the abnormally high concentration of lactate in the cerebrospinal fluid in patients with bacterial meningitis is not known. It may represent a bacterial metabolite. To determine whether cerebrospinal fluid possesses appropriate substrates to support the growth of pathogenic aerobic bacteria, three Gram-positive and nine Gram-negative bacteria were separately inoculated in pooled normal cerebrospinal fluid. After incubation for 24 h, all Gram-positive bacteria increased lactate, eight Gram-negative bacteria decreased lactate, and one Gram-negative bacteria failed to significantly change the lactate concentration. We conclude that lactate produced in cerebrospinal fluid in patients with aerobic bacterial meningitis is not necessarily a bacterial metabolite.
mesh_terms: D001420:Bacteria, Aerobic / Q000378:metabolism*; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000382:microbiology*; D005947:Glucose / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007773:Lactates / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D019344:Lactic Acid; D008581:Meningitis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid
chemical_list: D007773:Lactates; D019344:Lactic Acid; D005947:Glucose