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J Pediatr Infect Dis 2017; 12(02): 124-130
DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1601420
Original Article
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Childhood Central Nervous System Infections: Are We under Estimating the True Burden?

Jayaweera Arachchige Asela Sampath Jayaweera
1   Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Allied Sciences, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, Saliyapura, Mihintale, Sri Lanka
,
Krishan Nilantha Hewa Thalagahage
2   Department of Pediatrics, Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka
,
Anpalahan Joseph
1   Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Allied Sciences, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, Saliyapura, Mihintale, Sri Lanka
,
Shanthakumar Croos
1   Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Allied Sciences, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, Saliyapura, Mihintale, Sri Lanka
,
Mohammed Reyes
3   Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Allied Sciences, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, Mihintale, Sri Lanka
,
Damitha Chandradasa
2   Department of Pediatrics, Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

05 January 2017

23 February 2017

Publication Date:
04 April 2017 (online)

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Abstract

Children are more susceptible than adults to acquire central nervous system (CNS) infections. This study assesses the validity of routine cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture with the meningitis/encephalitis (ME) FilmArray to detect etiological agents in CNS infections. Based on CSF culture, only 5/40 samples were positive in suspected meningitis, whereas 24/40 samples were positive with the ME FilmArray (p = 0.01). Sensitivity and specificity of conventional culture method were 55.81 and 100%. Overall disability adjusted life years in the study cohort was 1,603.5. Conventional culture with clinical suspicion alone is not enough to obtain an etiological diagnosis of meningitis. The implementation of novel diagnostic techniques is crucial.

Keywords

CNS infection - conventional culture method - novel diagnostic
 

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