Diagnostic Accuracy of Cerebrospinal Fluid Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction Panel Testing in Patients With Suspected Central Nervous System Infections: A Multi-Center Study in the United Arab Emirates

Conclusion CSF mPCR panel is a highly sensitive and specific diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of CNS infections among all age groups in the UAE. Routine use of CSF mPCR panels can decrease healthcare costs by reducing the length of stay and can also aid antibiotic stewardship efforts by reducing antibiotic overuse in patients with viral CSF infections. CSF culture and mPCR complement each other by identifying CNS pathogens in patients with prior antibiotic exposure who would otherwise be missed if relying on CSF culture alone. However, concomitant CSF culture samples should be sent to avoid missing unusual CNS pathogens.PMID:38333447 | PMC:PMC10851033 | DOI:10.7759/cureus.51906
Source: Herpes - Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Source Type: research