title: Evaluation of a rapid PCR assay for diagnosis of meningococcal meningitis.
abstract: We compared the results of Gram staining and culture of cerebrospinal fluid to results obtained with a rapid PCR assay for the diagnosis of meningococcal meningitis in 281 cases of suspected bacterial meningitis. PCR had a sensitivity of 97% compared to a sensitivity of 55% for culture, and the PCR specificity was 99.6%. PCR results were available within 2 h of the start of the assay.
authors.affiliation: Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Louie
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Louie
authors.forename: Andrew E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Simor
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D006801:Humans; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers