CSF specimen in a sterile CSF tube
Minimum volume: 300uL
The Community-Acquired Meningitis/Encephalitis PCR Panel is not intended for testing of specimens collected from patients who have had
recent neurosurgical intervention
, as CNS infection in these patients is more likely to be caused by hospital-acquired pathogens.
Repeat testing will not be performed within a period of 30 days.
The Community-Acquired Meningitis/Encephalitis PCR Panel is indicated as an aid in the diagnosis of specific agents of meningitis or encephalitis and the results should be used in conjunction with other clinical, epidemiological and laboratory data.
CSF PCR testing is intended to be used in conjunction with culture for organism recovery, serotyping and antimicrobial susceptibility testing.
Positive PCR results do not rule out co-infection with other organisms not included in the Community-Acquired Meningitis/Encephalitis PCR Panel and negative PCR results do not preclude CNS infection.
Presumptive results will be confirmed using an alternative method.
Organisms detected by the FilmArray ME Panel
|
|
Escherichia coli K1 |
Haemophilus influenzae |
Listeria monocytogenes |
Neisseria meningitidis (encapsulated) |
Streptococcus agalactiae |
Streptococcus pneumoniae |
|
|
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) |
Enterovirus (EV) |
Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) |
Herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) |
Human herpsevirus 6 (HHV-6) |
Human parechovirus (HPeV) |
Varicella zoster virus (VZV) |
|
For further information, contact the Microbiology Department via Lablink or the Clinical Microbiologist:
Dr Sally Roberts
, Microbiologist:
ext 22705
Cellphone
021 674 140
Dr Sharmini Muttaiyah
, Microbiologist:
ext 22700
Cellphone
021 615 892
Dr Mary de Almeida
, Microbiologist:
ext 22700
Cellphone
021 170 9117
Transport specimen as soon as possible at 4 degC but must reach the laboratory within 7 days of collection.