Normal range: Negative
Comment: Meningitis has a wide variety of potential causes, either infectious. If bacterial meningitis is not treated promptly and effectively, the disease is likely to be fatal. Early identification of the infecting agent can be considerable value in providing the patient with appropriate and adequate chemotherapy. Many bacterial species have been implicated in meningitis. Streptococcus group B and E. coli K1 are two of the most common causes of the neonatal sepsis whilst in order age groups the commonest are H. influenza type b, s. pneumonia and N. meningitidis groups A,B,C, Y and W135. These organisms carry specific polysaccharide surface antigens, a quantity of which diffuse into culture media or body fluids such as CSF or serum, and is excreted in the urine
Sample: CSF