Utility of multiplex PCR for rapid diagnosis of acute bacterial meningitis: A North Indian tertiary care experience.

Rapid diagnosis of acute bacterial meningitis (ABM) remains challenging. This study evaluated multiplex PCR versus conventional methods. A total of 1248 cerebrospinal fluid samples from suspected ABM patients were tested using Gram stain, culture, and multiplex PCR targeting Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae type b, Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus agalactiae, and 16S rRNA gene. Multiplex PCR detected pathogens in 9.3 % of samples, compared to 2.3 % by culture and 1.5 % by Gram stain. PCR identified H. influenzae (13), S. pneumoniae (7), N. meningitidis (1), S. agalactiae (1). With 90 % sensitivity and 92.6 % specificity, multiplex PCR is a valuable complementary diagnostic tool for ABM.