An ELISA assay for the rapid diagnosis of acute bacterial meningitis

Summary

A recently introduced ELISA test (EIA-Test) was used for the detection of the common organisms that cause acute bacterial meningitis (ABM). The test—which detects antigens of Haemophilus influenzae type b, Neisseria meningitidis (serogroups A, B, C) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (25 selected types)—is performed in less than 1 hour and read by the naked eye. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens of 125 Sudanese children (1 month-14 years) admitted with a provisional diagnosis of meningitis/meningoencephalitis were prospectively examined with the EIA-Test, direct microscopy (DM) using Gram stain and culture. Of the 56 positive CSF specimens, the EIA-Test had the highest yield (100%), followed by culture (33.9%) and DM (30.4%). Nineteen (33.9%) of the positive samples came from children who had been treated with antibiotics prior to admission, and all were positive in the EIA-Test. EIA-Test was also the only positive test in 31 (55.4%) cases. From the present study, and similar to previous observations, the EIA-Test seems to have valuable potential for the rapid diagnosis of ABM and is of particular help in patients who have been pre-treated with antibiotics.