title: A multi-target real-time PCR assay for rapid identification of meningitis-associated microorganisms.
abstract: A central nervous system (CNS) infection, such as meningitis, is a serious and life-threatening condition. Bacterial meningitis can be severe and may result in brain damage, disability or even death. Rapid diagnosis of CNS infections and identification of the pathogenic microorganisms are needed to improve the patient outcome. Bacterial culture of a patient's cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is currently considered the "gold standard" for diagnosing bacterial meningitis. From the CSF cultures researchers can assess the in vitro susceptibility of the causative microorganism to determine the best antibiotic treatment. However, many of the culture assays, such as microscopy and the latex agglutination test are not sensitive. To enhance pathogen detection in CSF samples we developed a multi-target real-time PCR assay that can rapidly identify six different microorganisms: Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus agalactiae, Listeria monocytogenes and Cryptococcus neoformans. In this study we applied this PCR analysis to 296 CSF samples from patients who were suspected of having meningitis. Of the 296 samples that were examined, 59 samples were positive according to the CSF culture and/or molecular assays. Forty-six CSF samples were positive for both the CSF culture and our real-time PCR assay, while 13 samples were positive for the real-time PCR but negative for the traditional assays. This discrepancy may have been caused by the fact that these samples were collected from 23 patients who were treated with antimicrobials before CSF sampling.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, "Tor Vergata" University of Rome, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Favaro
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Savini
authors.forename: Cartesio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Favalli
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fontana
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004269:DNA, Bacterial