Capnocytophaga canimorsus meningitis diagnosed using next- generation sequencing of microbial cell-free DNA
Abuzar A. Asif,
Moni Roy,
Benjamin R. Tellier,
Sharjeel Ahmad
Affiliations
Abuzar A. Asif
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Peoria, OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, 530 NE Glen Oak Ave, Peoria, IL 61637, USA; Corresponding author.
Moni Roy
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Peoria, OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, 530 NE Glen Oak Ave, Peoria, IL 61637, USA
Benjamin R. Tellier
Section of Infectious Diseases, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Peoria, OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, 530 NE Glen Oak Ave, Peoria, IL 61637, USA
Sharjeel Ahmad
Section of Infectious Diseases, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Peoria, OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, 530 NE Glen Oak Ave, Peoria, IL 61637, USA
Capnocytophaga canimorsus meningitis is frequently caused by exposure to dog or cat bites and occurs more commonly in immunocompromised individuals. CSF analysis is the first step in diagnosis; however, in situations where CSF cultures turn negative, molecular techniques such as 16S rRNA gene amplification followed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) product sequencing have shown promise. Next generation sequencing of cell free DNA (NGS cfDNA) can assist in identifying the causative agent in a quick and accurate manner. We present a rare case of C. canimorsus meningitis in an immunocompetent host that highlights the utility of NGS cfDNA in timely diagnosis after exhausting all other available diagnostic techniques.
