title: Molecular diagnosis of eosinophilic meningitis due to Angiostrongylus cantonensis (Nematoda: Metastrongyloidea) by polymerase chain reaction-DNA sequencing of cerebrospinal fluids of patients.
abstract: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from clinically diagnosed patients with detectable Angiostrongylus cantonensis-specific antibodies (n = 10), patients with clinically suspected cases that tested negative for A. cantonensis-antibodies (n = 5) and patients with cerebral gnathostomiasis (n = 2) and neurocysticercosis (n = 2) were examined by a single-step polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method using the AC primers for the 66-kDa native protein gene. The PCR method detected A. cantonensis DNA in CSF samples from four of 10 serologically confirmed angiostrongyliasis cases. The PCR results were negative for the remaining CSF samples. The nucleotide sequences of three positive CSF-PCR samples shared 98.8-99.2% similarity with the reference sequence of A. cantonensis. These results indicate the potential application of this PCR assay with clinical CSF samples for additional support in the confirmation of eosinophilic meningitis due to A. cantonensis.
authors: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand. praphathip.eam@mahidol.ac.th
authors: Praphathip
authors: P
authors: Eamsobhana
authors: Darawan
authors: D
authors: Wanachiwanawin
authors: Naowarat
authors: N
authors: Dechkum
authors: Anchana
authors: A
authors: Parsartvit
authors: Hoi Sen
authors: HS
authors: Yong
mesh_terms: D017185:Angiostrongylus cantonensis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000818:Animals; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D008581:Meningitis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017206:Strongylida Infections / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis*