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CSF PCRAka: CSF Polymerase Chain Reaction, Cerebrospinal Fluid PCR

Indications
1. Suspected enterovirus Meningitis
  1. Allows for early hospital discharge
2. Suspected Herpes Simplex Virus Encephalitis
3. Suspected Cytomegalovirus Encephalitis
Available PCR tests
1. Viral Meningitis sensitivity: 95-100%
2. HSV Type I sensitivity: 100%
3. Epstein-Barr Virus sensitivity: 100%
4. Enterovirus sensitivity: 100%
5. Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
  1. PCR is gold standard
6. Tuberculosis sensitivity: 54-100%
7. Acute Neurosyphilis
  1. Lower sensitivity in chronic Neurosyphilis
Advantages
1. High sensitivity and Specificity
2. Fast
3. Requires only small CSF volumes
Disadvantages
1. Expensive
References
1. Seehusen (2003) Am Fam Physician 68:1103

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This page was written by Scott Moses, MD. This page was last revised before 5/10/08, prior to consistent tracking of revision date. This page was last published on 6/1/2008. Please send comments and questions to the editor. Contact information may be found on the page About the Family Practice Notebook. These pages are best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0.