A 13-year review of blood nucleic acid detection for Neisseria meningitidis in invasive meningococcal disease in regional Australia

Key Points

• To evaluate the effectiveness of blood nucleic acid detection for diagnosing Neisseria meningitidis in invasive meningococcal disease.
• A 13-year retrospective review of the use of a nucleic acid detection assay (NM-NAT) at John Hunter Hospital.
• Comparison of NM-NAT results with traditional blood cultures for Neisseria meningitidis detection.
• The study found improved sensitivity in detecting Neisseria meningitidis through blood nucleic acid detection over time.
• Blood cultures alone showed limitations in identification compared to the nucleic acid assay.