title: Aseptic meningitis and encephalitis: the role of PCR in the diagnostic laboratory.
abstract: In this study we have devised a simple and robust PCR strategy to detect a wide range of viruses, bacteria, and parasites, all of which are capable of causing aseptic meningitis and encephalitis. The techniques developed have been used in a routine diagnostic virology laboratory to test prospectively 2,233 cerebrospinal fluid specimens. A virus was detected in 147 specimens of cerebrospinal fluid from 143 patients. Four sets of primers were sufficient to detect the virus in 135 (94%) of the PCR-positive patients. We conclude that with appropriate primers, PCR can be systematically and economically applied to test for a range of organisms in a routine diagnostic laboratory. In our opinion, PCR will soon become the "gold standard" test for viral infections of the central nervous system.
authors.affiliation: Oxford Public Health Laboratory, John Radcliffe Hospital, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Read
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Jeffery
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Bangham
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001483:Base Sequence; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000821:virology; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000209:etiology*; D018792:Encephalitis, Viral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008582:Meningitis, Aseptic / Q000209:etiology*; D008587:Meningitis, Viral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology; D010271:Parasites / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014773:Virology / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014780:Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers