Validation of a diagnosis model for differentiating bacterial from viral meningitis in infants and children under 3.5 years of age

• Published in: European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases 2000-06, Vol.19 (6), p.418-421
• Main Authors: JAEGER, F, LEROY, J, DUCHENE, F, BATY, V, BAILLET, S, ESTAVOYER, J. M, HOEN, B
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Antibiotics; Bacteria; Bacterial diseases; Bacterial diseases of the nervous system. Bacterial myositis; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Glucose - analysis; Cerebrospinal fluid; Cerebrospinal Fluid - cytology; Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteins - analysis; Child, Preschool; Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted; Diagnosis, Differential; Etiology; Glucose; Human bacterial diseases; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infants; Infectious diseases; Leukocyte Count; Leukocytes; Medical sciences; Meningitis; Meningitis, Bacterial - diagnosis; Meningitis, Viral - diagnosis; Microorganisms; Neisseria meningitidis; Neutrophils; Predictive Value of Tests; Proteins; Retrospective Studies; Sensitivity and Specificity; Streptococcus infections; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the nervous system; Viral infections
• ISSN: 0934-9723; 1435-4373
• DOI: 10.1007/s100960000292

The aim of this study was to validate, in a population of infants and children under 3.5 years of age, a diagnosis model that provides a figure for the probability of bacterial meningitis (pABM), based on four parameters collected at the time of the first lumbar tap: the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) protein level, CSF polymorphonuclear cell count, blood glucose level, and leucocyte count. The best cut-off value for distinguishing between bacterial and viral meningitis was previously found to be 0.1, since 99% of meningitides associated with pABM