Polymerase chain reaction for diagnosis of meningococcal meningitis

• Published in: The Lancet (British edition) Vol. 340; no. 8833; pp. 1432 - 1434
• Main Authors: Ni, H., Knight, A.I., McFadden, J., Cartwright, K., Palmer, W.H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier Ltd 12.12.1992; Lancet; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Bacterial diseases; Bacterial diseases of the nervous system. Bacterial myositis; Biological and medical sciences; DNA, Bacterial - analysis; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Infections; Infectious diseases; Medical research; Medical sciences; Meningitis, Meningococcal - cerebrospinal fluid; Meningitis, Meningococcal - diagnosis; Neisseria meningitidis - isolation & purification; Neurological disorders; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Sensitivity and Specificity; Tests; Infection; Human; Polymerase chain reaction; Nervous system diseases; Bacteriosis; Diagnosis; Cerebrospinal fluid; Meningococcal disease

Meningococcal disease is normally suspected on clinical grounds but confirmed by isolation of Neisseria meningitidis from blood or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), or by detection of gram-negative diplococci in CSF. After parenteral antibiotics are started the isolation rate of meningococci from blood cul...