What question did this study set out to answer?

To determine how post-sampling pH changes in cerebrospinal fluid affect the viability of meningitis-causing bacteria and the diagnostic sensitivity of rapid bacterial antigen detection kits.

March 1, 1996Journal of Clinical PathologyOpen Access

Effect of pH changes in cerebrospinal fluid specimens on bacterial survival and antigen test results.

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Authors

JCJ.G. CunniffeUniversity of California, San Francisco SWS Whitby-StrevensAddenbrooke's Hospital MWMark H. WilcoxNational Health Service

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Implication

In vitro study reveals that post-sampling CSF alkalinization reduces bacterial survival and antigen assay sensitivity, indicating that carbon dioxide incubation preserves diagnostic reliability.

Key Points

To determine how post-sampling pH changes in cerebrospinal fluid affect the viability of meningitis-causing bacteria and the diagnostic sensitivity of rapid bacterial antigen detection kits.
Measured cerebrospinal fluid pH under four incubation atmospheres: air at 4°C, air at 22°C, air at 37°C, and air with 5% CO2 at 37°C.
Assessed the 24-hour survival of 15 bacterial isolates obtained from 74 meningitis patients in pooled cerebrospinal fluid across the different storage conditions.
Evaluated the analytical sensitivity of two latex agglutination assays and one co-agglutination kit for detecting Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria meningitidis groups B and C, and Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Initial CSF pH (mean 7.5) rose by approximately 1.0 unit within 60 seconds of sampling and reached approximately 10.0 during ambient air incubation, whereas 5% CO2 at 37°C maintained physiological pH levels.
Bacterial survival across all species was lowest in CSF incubated in air at 37°C and highest when incubated in 5% CO2 at 37°C.
Antigen detection kits showed slower and less distinct agglutination reactions in air-incubated CSF, resulting in a false-negative finding for Neisseria meningitidis group B.

Cite This Study

Cunniffe et al. (1996) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6aa9405904014c9901264409 https://doi.org/10.1136/jcp.49.3.249

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Implication

In vitro study reveals that post-sampling CSF alkalinization reduces bacterial survival and antigen assay sensitivity, indicating that carbon dioxide incubation preserves diagnostic reliability.

Effect of pH changes in cerebrospinal fluid specimens on bacterial survival and antigen test results.

Discussion

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Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Effect of pH changes in cerebrospinal fluid specimens on bacterial survival and antigen test results.

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

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