The clinical and laboratory diagnosis of acute meningitis and acute encephalitis.

Introduction: Acute bacterial meningitis (ABM) is a life-threatening infectious disease requiring prompt antimicrobial therapy. ABM must be differentiated from systemic disorders with CNS manifestations that may mimic ABM. ABM should also be differentiated from acute meningoencephalitis (AME) and acute viral encephalitis (AVE). Nonviral causes of AME are treatable. Among the causes of AVE, Herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) is treatable. This article reviews the clinical diagnostic approach to ABM, AME and AVE.

Areas covered: The differential diagnostic (DDx) approach to ABM, AME and AVE is based on clinical and laboratory findings. A specific pathogen diagnosis is based on serum/cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tests. This overview presents the diagnostic approach to ABM, AME and AVE in normal hosts (excluding brain abscesses and chronic CNS infections).

Expert opinion: It is time critical to diagnose ABM and begin empiric antimicrobial therapy based on the known/most likely pathogen. The diagnosis of ABM depends on clinical features and the CSF profile. The CSF Gram stain and CSF lactic acid (LA) levels provide the most rapid, reliable and cost-effective tests to diagnose ABM. CSF LA levels are also the best way to diagnose partially treated acute bacterial meningitis (PTABM). In those cases of AME/AVE due to viruses with a CSF profile mimicking ABM, for example, HSE, unelevated CSF LA levels rapidly/reliably rule out ABM as a diagnostic possibility.