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Better Diagnostic Tests for Histoplasma Meningitis
Clin Infect Dis; 2017 Aug 20; Block, et al
Testing a patient’s cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for IgM and IgG antibodies can help in the diagnosis of Histoplasma meningitis, according to a recent study. Among the details:
- Investigators analyzed CSF from 50 patients with Histoplasma meningitis and 150 controls to evaluate the value of new diagnostic tests, including Histoplasma antigen and anti-Histoplasma antibodies.
- IgG and IgM antiantibodies were found in 82% of patients with the infection, with a specificity of 93%.
- Histoplasma antigen was found in 78% of patients with the infection, with a specificity of 97%.
Bloch KC, Myint T, Raymond-Guillen L, et al. Improvement in diagnosis of Histoplasma meningitis by combined testing for histoplasma antigen and Immunoglobulin G and Immunoglobulin M anti-histoplasma antibody in cerebrospinal fluid. Clin Infect Dis. 2017;cix706. doi:10.1093/cid/cix706.
This Week's Must Reads
Must Reads in Meningitis
Cerebral Venous Thrombosis & Steroids in Meningitis, Open Forum Infect Dis; 2017 Oct; Gallegos, et al
Early Onset GBS Meningitis Drops, Late Onset Jumps, Clin Infect Dis; 2017 Oct 16; Romain, et al
Better Diagnostic Tests for Histoplasma Meningitis, Clin Infect Dis; 2017 Aug 20; Block, et al
Understanding Meningococcal Disease, Asian Pac J Trop Med; 2017 Nov; Batista, et al
Cryptococcal Meningitis Takes Toll on HIV Patients, Clin Infect Dis; 2017 Oct 4; Pasquier, et al