New rapid antigen test for diagnosis of pneumococcal meningitis

Conventional diagnostic methods for bacterial meningitis are frequently not rapid or sensitive enough to guide initial antimicrobial therapy. Streptoc occus pneumoniae is the most frequent and severe cause of community-acquire d bacterial meningitis and treatment is complicated by the Increasing preva lence of antimicrobial resistance to third-generation cephalosporins. We us ed a new rapid antigen test in the cerebrospinal fluid and urine of patient s with suspected bacterial meningitis, and found It to be highly sensitive and specific for the detection of pneumococci. This test might help guide I nitial therapy for bacterial meningitis according to the local rates of pne umococcal antimicrobial resistance.