Detection of Listeria monocytogenes in CSF from Three Patients with Meningoencephalitis by Next-Generation Sequencing
- Resource Type
- Text
- Authors
- Yao, Ming; Zhou, Jiali; Zhu, Yicheng; Zhang, Yinxin; Lv, Xia; Sun, Ruixue; Shen, Ao; Ren, Haitao; Cui, Liying; Guan, Hongzhi; Wu, Honglong
- Source
- Journal of Clinical Neurology. 12(4):446-451
- Subject
- Original Article
- Language
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Encephalitis caused by Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) is rare but sometimes fatal. Early diagnosis is difficult using routine cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tests, while next-generation sequencing (NGS) is increasingly being used for the detection and characterization of pathogens. METHODS: This study set up and applied unbiased NGS to detect L. monocytogenes in CSF collected from three cases of clinically suspected listeria meningoencephalitis. RESULTS: Three cases of patients with acute/subacute meningoencephalitis are reported. Magnetic resonance imaging and blood cultures led to a suspected diagnosis of L. monocytogenes, while the CSF cultures were negative. Unbiased NGS of CSF identified and sequenced reads corresponding to L. monocytogenes in all three cases. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report highlighting the feasibility of applying NGS of CSF as a diagnostic method for central nervous system (CNS) L. monocytogenes infection. Routine application of this technology in clinical microbiology will significantly improve diagnostic methods for CNS infectious diseases.