title: Serotyping pneumococcal meningitis cases in the African meningitis belt by use of multiplex PCR with cerebrospinal fluid.
abstract: We reformulated a multiplex PCR algorithm for serotyping of pneumococcal meningitis directly on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Compared to established methods on isolates, CSF-based PCR had at least 80% sensitivity and 100% specificity. In regional meningitis surveillance, CSF-based PCR increased the serotype information yield from 40% of cases (isolate testing) to 90%.
authors.affiliation: Agence de Médecine Préventive, at the Institut Pasteur, 25-28 Rue du Dr. Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France.
authors.forename: Berthe-Marie
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Njanpop Lafourcade
authors.forename: Oumarou
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sanou
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van der Linden
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Levina
authors.forename: Meryem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karanfil
authors.forename: Seydou
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yaro
authors.forename: Tsidi A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Tamekloe
authors.forename: Judith E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Mueller
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000382:microbiology*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012703:Serotyping / Q000379:methods; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification