Neuronal Autoantibodies in Adults After Community-Acquired Bacterial Meningitis.

Background And Objectives: Long-term cognitive impairment is observed in 14%-32% of patients surviving community-acquired bacterial meningitis. We hypothesized that the impairment might be linked to secondary immune activation due to the development of neuronal autoantibodies, similar to postinfectious autoimmune encephalitis after viral encephalitis.

Methods: In this cross-sectional observational study, we included adult patients from a prospective, nationwide cohort study of community-acquired bacterial meningitis in the Netherlands, the MeninGene study.

Validation and clinical implementation of cerebrospinal fluid C-reactive protein for the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis: a prospective diagnostic accuracy study.

Background: C-reactive protein (CRP) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was previously shown to be predictive for bacterial meningitis in patients with a suspected central nervous system (CNS) infection in an experimental study. We aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of CRP in CSF in a validation and clinical implementation study.

Methods: We validated CRP measurements in CSF for the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis in a Danish cohort of patients with acute CNS infections, and a Dutch cohort of pediatric patients suspected of a CNS infection.

Cerebrospinal Fluid Metabolome in Central Nervous System Infections: A Study of Diagnostic Accuracy.

Objective: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for central nervous system (CNS) infections.

Methods: Patients were derived from three prospective cohort studies in the Netherlands. All studies included adults suspected of a CNS infection who underwent a diagnostic lumbar puncture.

Heparin-Binding Protein in Cerebrospinal Fluid as a Biomarker for Bacterial Meningitis: A Study of Diagnostic Accuracy.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of heparin-binding protein (HBP) in cerebrospinal fluid for the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis in patients with a suspected central nervous system infection.

Methods: This prospective multicenter cohort study determined the diagnostic accuracy of HBP in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for bacterial meningitis among a cohort of consecutive patients with a suspected central nervous infection. The final clinical diagnosis was considered the reference standard.

Diagnosing infectious encephalitis: a narrative review.

Background: Diagnosing infectious encephalitis can be challenging as it can be caused by a wide range of pathogens, with viruses being the most common cause. In a substantial number of patients, no pathogen is identified despite a clinical diagnosis of infectious encephalitis. Recent advancements in diagnostic testing have introduced new methods to address this diagnostic challenge and improve pathogen detection.

Diagnostic prediction models for bacterial meningitis in children with a suspected central nervous system infection: a systematic review and prospective validation study.

Objectives: Diagnostic prediction models exist to assess the probability of bacterial meningitis (BM) in paediatric patients with suspected meningitis. To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of these models in a broad population of children suspected of a central nervous system (CNS) infection, we performed external validation.

Methods: We performed a systematic literature review in Medline to identify articles on the development, refinement or validation of a prediction model for BM, and validated these models in a prospective cohort of children aged 0-18 years old suspected of a CNS infection.

Validation of the encephalitis criteria in adults with a suspected central nervous system infection: An updated score.

Objectives: We aimed to validate and refine the encephalitis criteria proposed by the International Encephalitis Consortium in a cohort of adults initially suspected of a central nervous system (CNS) infection.

Methods: We included patients from two prospective cohort studies consisting of adults suspected of a CNS infection whom underwent a diagnostic lumbar puncture. We evaluated the test characteristics of the criteria for both possible and probable encephalitis.

Granulocytes in cerebrospinal fluid of adults suspected of a central nervous system infection: a prospective study of diagnostic accuracy.

Purpose: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) granulocytes are associated with bacterial meningitis, but information on its diagnostic value is limited and primarily based on retrospective studies. Therefore, we assessed the diagnostic accuracy of CSF granulocytes.

Methods: We analyzed CSF granulocytes (index test) from all consecutive patients in two prospective cohort studies in the Netherlands.

Diagnostic accuracy of inflammatory markers in adults with suspected central nervous system infections.

Objectives: We aimed to determine diagnostic accuracy of inflammatory markers in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for the diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) infections and specifically bacterial meningitis.

Methods: We analyzed 12 cytokines, chemokines, and acute phase reactants in CSF and plasma of 738 patients with suspected neurological infection included in a multicenter prospective cohort. We determined diagnostic accuracy for predicting any CNS infection and bacterial meningitis.

Prevalence of Atopy following Mass Drug Administration with Albendazole: A Study in School Children on Flores Island, Indonesia.

Background: In many rural areas of tropical countries such as Indonesia, the prevalence of soil-transmitted helminths (STH) infections remains high. At the same time, the burden of allergic disorders in such rural areas is reported to be low and inversely associated with helminth infections. To reduce the morbidity and transmission of helminth infections, the world health organization recommends preventive treatment of school children by providing mass drug administration (MDA) with albendazole.