Molecular diagnostic assays for the detection of common bacterial meningitis pathogens: A narrative review
Kanny Diallo,
Vitalis F. Feteh,
Lilian Ibe,
Martin Antonio,
Dominique A. Caugant,
Mignon du Plessis,
Ala-Eddine Deghmane,
Ian M. Feavers,
Katya Fernandez,
LeAnne M. Fox,
Charlene M.C. Rodrigues,
Olivier Ronveaux,
Muhamed-Kheir Taha,
Xin Wang,
Angela B. Brueggemann,
Martin C.J. Maiden,
Odile B. Harrison
Affiliations
Kanny Diallo
Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3SY, United Kingdom; Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire, Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire
Vitalis F. Feteh
Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3SY, United Kingdom; Nuffield Department of Population Health, Big Data Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LF, United Kingdom
Lilian Ibe
Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3SY, United Kingdom; Nuffield Department of Population Health, Big Data Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LF, United Kingdom
Martin Antonio
WHO Collaborating Centre for New Vaccines Surveillance, Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Atlantic Boulevard, Fajara, PO Box 273, Banjul, Gambia; Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
Dominique A. Caugant
WHO Collaborating Center for Reference and Research on Meningococci, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo N-0213, Norway
Mignon du Plessis
A division of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), Johannesburg, South Africa
Ala-Eddine Deghmane
Institut Pasteur, 25-28 Rue du Dr Roux, Paris 75015, France
Ian M. Feavers
Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3SY, United Kingdom
Katya Fernandez
WHO Infectious Hazard Management, Geneva, Switzerland
LeAnne M. Fox
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Bacterial Diseases, Meningitis and Vaccine Preventable Diseases Branch, United States
Charlene M.C. Rodrigues
Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3SY, United Kingdom; Department of Paediatric Infectious Diseases, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
Olivier Ronveaux
WHO Infectious Hazard Management, Geneva, Switzerland
Muhamed-Kheir Taha
Institut Pasteur, 25-28 Rue du Dr Roux, Paris 75015, France
Xin Wang
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Bacterial Diseases, Meningitis and Vaccine Preventable Diseases Branch, United States
Angela B. Brueggemann
Nuffield Department of Population Health, Big Data Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LF, United Kingdom
Martin C.J. Maiden
Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3SY, United Kingdom
Odile B. Harrison
Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3SY, United Kingdom; Corresponding author.
Bacterial meningitis is a major global cause of morbidity and mortality. Rapid identification of the aetiological agent of meningitis is essential for clinical and public health management and disease prevention given the wide range of pathogens that cause the clinical syndrome and the availability of vaccines that protect against some, but not all, of these. Since microbiological culture is complex, slow, and often impacted by prior antimicrobial treatment of the patient, molecular diagnostic assays have been developed for bacterial detection. Distinguishing between meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus), Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus), Haemophilus influenzae, and Streptococcus agalactiae and identifying their polysaccharide capsules is especially important. Here, we review methods used in the identification of these bacteria, providing an up-to-date account of available assays, allowing clinicians and diagnostic laboratories to make informed decisions about which assays to use.
