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Cited by 144Bacterial Identification and Susceptibility TestingBacterial Infections and VaccinesInfectious Diseases and Tuberculosis

Comparison of broad-range bacterial PCR and culture of cerebrospinal fluid for diagnosis of community-acquired bacterial meningitis

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Welinder-Olsson, C., Dotevall, L., Hogevik, H., Jungnelius, R., Trollfors, B., Wahl, M., Larsson, P.·2007·Clinical Microbiology and Infection
DOI 10.1111/j.1469-0691.2007.01756.x
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Abstract

Appropriate, rapid and reliable laboratory tests are essential for the diagnosis and optimal antibiotic therapy of acute bacterial meningitis. Broad-range bacterial PCR, combined with DNA sequencing, was compared with culture-based methods for examining cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from patients with suspected meningitis. In total, 345 CSF specimens from 345 patients were analysed, with acute community-acquired bacterial meningitis being diagnosed in 74 patients. The CSF of 25 patients was positive by both PCR and culture; 26 patients had CSF specimens positive by PCR only, and 14 patients had specimens positive by culture only. The sensitivity of PCR and culture for clinically relevant meningitis was 59% (44/74) and 43% (32/74), respectively, while the specificity was 97% (264/271) and 97% (264/271), respectively. The commonest bacterial rRNA gene sequences detected by PCR only were those of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis (n = 12). PCR failed to detect the bacterial rRNA gene in seven specimens from patients with symptoms compatible with acute bacterial meningitis. Overall, the results demonstrated that PCR in conjunction with sequencing may be a useful tool in the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis. PCR is particularly useful for analysing CSF from patients who have been treated with antibiotics before lumbar puncture.

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Crossref · 10.1111/j.1469-0691.2007.01756.x

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  • Previous studies indicate that 16S rRNA PCR/sequencing might be a useful addition in diagnosing bacterial CNS infections when species-specific PCR and cultures remain negative.

    “Previous studies have indicated that 16S rRNA PCR/sequencing might be a useful addition in diagnosing bacterial CNS infections when species-specific PCR and cultures remain negative (35, 36).”

    From Molecular diagnostics in cerebrospinal fluid for the diagnosis of central nervous system infections (2024) · cites this paper as [36]

  • Prior to Hib conjugate vaccines in the United States, H. influenzae accounted for 45 to 48% of all bacterial meningitis cases; it now accounts for only 7%.

    “Prior to the availability of H. influenzae type b conjugate vaccines in the United States, H. influenzae accounted for 45 to 48% of all cases of bacterial meningitis (276, 344); it now accounts for only 7% of cases (281, 305).”

    From Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Antimicrobial Treatment of Acute Bacterial Meningitis (2010) · cites this paper as [344]

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Authors
Welinder-Olsson, C., Dotevall, L., Hogevik, H., Jungnelius, R., Trollfors, B., Wahl, M., & Larsson, P.
Affiliations
  • Sahlgrenska University Hospital (SE)
  • Uddevalla sjukhus (SE)
  • Södra Älvsborg Hospital (SE)
  • University of Gothenburg (SE)
ORCID
Venue
Clinical Microbiology and Infection
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2007-09
Volume
13
Issue
9
Pages
879-886
ISSN
1198-743X (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1111/j.1469-0691.2007.01756.x
OpenAlex
W1564272720
Cited by
144
References
29
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 12
FWCI
5.68
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Clinical Microbiology and Infection (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Clinical Biochemistry › Bacterial Identification and Susceptibility Testing
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Microbiology › Bacterial Infections and Vaccines
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Infectious Diseases and Tuberculosis
Keywords
community-acquired bacterial meningitis, cerebrospinal fluid, bacterial culture, sensitivity and specificity, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, lumbar puncture
MeSH terms
Cerebrospinal Fluid, DNA, Bacterial, Humans, Meningitis, Meningococcal, Microbiological Techniques, Neisseria meningitidis, Retrospective Studies, RNA, Ribosomal, 16S, Sensitivity and Specificity, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Polymerase Chain Reaction

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