Indian Journal of Public Health Research & Development
  • Year: 2015
  • Volume: 6
  • Issue: 2

Microbiological and Biochemical Profile of Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) in Various Non-Tuberculous Cases of Meningitis in HIV Positive Patients

  • Author:
  • Susheela Chaurasia1, Ashwini Saminder Waghmare2,, Ameeta Joshi3, Sitalakshmi Shivram4
  • Total Page Count: 6
  • Page Number: 271 to 276

1Senior Resident, Department of Microbiology, ESIC Model Hospital cum ODC, Mumbai

2Microbiologist, Department of Microbiology, Government Medical College, Latur

3Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, J J hospital, Mumbai

4Senior Lab Technician, Department of Microbiology, J J hospital, Mumbai

*Corresponding author: Ashwini Waghmare Saminder, Microbiologist, Government Medical College, Latur. Email: ashwinishivani@gmail.com, Mobile: 08888493258

Abstract

To study the microscopy, culture and biochemistry profile of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in various non-tuberculous cases of meningitis and the utility of cryptococcal latex agglutination test in HIVpositive and negative patients suspected of having cryptococcal meningitis.

Study design: Prospective. Study period: October 2007 to May 2009. The samples for the study were received from all age groups of HIV-positive patients suspected of having meningitis admitted to either medicine or paediatric ward and HIV-negative patients with signs and symptoms of meningitis were taken as control group.

After collection, CSF was subjected to the following tests: Unstained wet mount, Gram stain, Acid fast stain, India ink preparation (IIP), bacteriological & fungal culture of CSF and antigen detection test for Cryptococcus neoformans.

The prevalence of meningitis among the clinically suspected HIV-positive patients was 18.3%. The most common cause of meningitis in HIV-positive patients was S. pneumoniae (60%) followed by N. meningitidis (40%). In HIV-negative patients, the most common cause was N. meningitidis (30.8%) followed by S. Pneumoniae and K. pneumoniae (23.1% each). The other causes of meningitis were E. coli, P. aeruginosa and A. baumanii. India ink preparation, cryptococcal antigen detection test and the culture showed a correlation of 83.3% in cases of cryptococcal meningitis. It was observed that cryptococcal antigen detection test was more sensitive (100%) as compared to culture (81.8%) and India ink preparation (68.2%).

Patients with CD4 count <200 cells/μl were more prone to cryptococcal meningitis in HIV positive patients.

Keywords

Cerebrospinal Fluid, Cryptococcal Meningitis, Culture, CD4 Count