title: Application of molecular tools for the diagnosis of central nervous system infections.
abstract: Many infectious agents can cause central nervous system (CNS) diseases in humans. Since microbial agents infecting CNS are numerous and have different features, conventional laboratory tests may not be sensitive enough to identify and characterise viruses and bacteria in human biological specimens. Thus, the need to define methods for the diagnosis of infectious neurological diseases, such as progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), is urgent, in order to improve the outcome of the diseases with rapid and accurate detection of the pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Delbue
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tremolada
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferrante
mesh_terms: D020806:Central Nervous System Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002494:Central Nervous System Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology*; D020805:Central Nervous System Viral Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000382:microbiology; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D003663:Decision Trees; D019937:Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D008967:Molecular Biology / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends