title: Role of Clinical Presentations and Routine CSF Analysis in the Rapid Diagnosis of Acute Bacterial Meningitis in Cases of Negative Gram Stained Smears.
abstract: Background and Aim. Bacterial meningitis is a lethal, disabling endemic disease needing prompt antibiotic management. Gram stained smears is rapid accurate method for diagnosis of bacterial meningitis. In cases of negative gram stained smears diagnosis is delayed till culture results. We aim to assess the role of clinical presentations and routine CSF analysis in the cost-effective rapid diagnosis of negative gram stained smears bacterial meningitis. Methods. Cross sectional study including 623 acute meningitis patients divided into two groups: bacterial meningitis and nonbacterial meningitis groups. The clinical presentations, systemic inflammatory parameters, and CSF analysis were evaluated and compared in both groups. Results. Altered conscious level, localizing neurological signs, Kernig's and Brudzinski's signs together with peripheral leucocytosis (>10.000/mm(3)), high CRP (>6) together with high CSF protein (>50 gl/dL), CSF neutrophilic count (≥50% of total CSF leucocytic count), and low CSF glucose level (<45 gm/dL) and CSF/serum glucose ≤0.6 were significantly diagnostic in bacterial meningitis patients. From the significant CSF analysis variables CSF protein carried the higher accuracy of diagnosis 78% with sensitivity 88% and specificity 72%. Conclusions. High CSF protein (>50 mg/dL) together with plasma inflammatory markers and CSF cytochemical parameters can diagnose bacterial meningitis in gram stain negative smear till culture results.
authors.affiliation: Endemic Medicine Department and Hepatology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo 11562, Egypt.
authors.forename: Rabab
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fouad
authors.affiliation: Endemic Medicine Department and Hepatology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo 11562, Egypt.
authors.forename: Marwa
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3939-4265
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khairy
authors.affiliation: Endemic Medicine Department and Hepatology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo 11562, Egypt.
authors.forename: Waleed
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0212-0765
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fathalah
authors.affiliation: Shebin El-Kom Fever Hospital, Egyptian Ministry of Health, Menoufia 12489, Egypt.
authors.forename: Taha
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7965-8777
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gad
authors.affiliation: Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo 11562, Egypt.
authors.forename: Badawy
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: El-Kholy
authors.affiliation: Endemic Medicine Department and Hepatology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo 11562, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ayman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yosry