Sze Hwei Lee1, Shey-Ying Chen2, Jung-Yien Chien3, Tai-Fen Lee4, Jong-Min Chen5, Po-Ren Hsueh6. 1. Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. 2. Department of Emergency Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. 3. Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. 4. Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. 5. Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. 6. Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: hsporen@ntu.edu.tw.
Abstract
BACKGROUND/ PURPOSE: Early recognition of causative pathogens is critical for the appropriate management of central nervous system infection and improved outcomes. The BioFire® FilmArray® Meningitis/Encephalitis Panel (BioFire® ME Panel, BioFire Diagnostics) is the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved multiplex PCR assay that allows the rapid detection of 14 pathogens, including bacteria (n = 6), viruses (n = 7), and fungi (n = 1), from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The performance of the panel is expected to be dependent on the epidemiology of M/E in different geographical regions. METHODS: In this preliminary study, we used the BioFire® ME Panel in 42 subjects who presented to the emergency department with symptoms of M/E in our hospital. The results were compared to conventional culture, antigen detection, PCR, and various laboratory findings. RESULTS: The panel detected six positive samples, of which five were viral and one bacterial. We observed an overall agreement rate of 88% between the BioFire® ME Panel results and the conventional methods. There were no false-positive findings, but five discordant results were observed for enterovirus, herpes simplex virus type 1, Escherichia coli, and Cryptococcus species. CONCLUSIONS: The BioFire® ME Panel performed equivalently to the traditional PCR methods for virus detection, and better than bacterial cultures. This revolutionary system represents a paradigm shift in the diagnosis of M/E and may aid in the rapid identification of community-acquired M/E. However, the usefulness of this tool is limited in regions with a high prevalence of infectious M/E caused by microorganisms not included in the panel.
BACKGROUND/ PURPOSE: Early recognition of causative pathogens is critical for the appropriate management of central nervous system infection and improved outcomes. The BioFire® FilmArray® Meningitis/Encephalitis Panel (BioFire® ME Panel, BioFire Diagnostics) is the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved multiplex PCR assay that allows the rapid detection of 14 pathogens, including bacteria (n = 6), viruses (n = 7), and fungi (n = 1), from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The performance of the panel is expected to be dependent on the epidemiology of M/E in different geographical regions. METHODS: In this preliminary study, we used the BioFire® ME Panel in 42 subjects who presented to the emergency department with symptoms of M/E in our hospital. The results were compared to conventional culture, antigen detection, PCR, and various laboratory findings. RESULTS: The panel detected six positive samples, of which five were viral and one bacterial. We observed an overall agreement rate of 88% between the BioFire® ME Panel results and the conventional methods. There were no false-positive findings, but five discordant results were observed for enterovirus, herpes simplex virus type 1, Escherichia coli, and Cryptococcus species. CONCLUSIONS: The BioFire® ME Panel performed equivalently to the traditional PCR methods for virus detection, and better than bacterial cultures. This revolutionary system represents a paradigm shift in the diagnosis of M/E and may aid in the rapid identification of community-acquired M/E. However, the usefulness of this tool is limited in regions with a high prevalence of infectious M/E caused by microorganisms not included in the panel.
Authors: TeeKeat Teoh; James Powell; Jillian O'Keeffe; Eoghan Donlon; Lisa Dillon; Marie Lenihan; Amanda Mostyn; Lorraine Power; Peter Boers; Patrick J Stapleton; Nuala H O'Connell; Colum P Dunne Journal: PLoS One Date: 2022-03-17 Impact factor: 3.240