Assessment of the utility of viral culture of cerebrospinal fluid

Clin Infect Dis. 2006 Dec 15;43(12):1578-9. doi: 10.1086/509581. Epub 2006 Nov 7.

Abstract

Nucleic acid amplification testing is the preferred method to detect enteroviruses and Herpesviridae in cerebrospinal fluid, but clinicians still request viral culture. Review of 22,394 viral cultures of cerebrospinal fluid samples found that <0.1% recovered nonenterovirus, non-Herpesviridae species, suggesting that, when nucleic acid amplification testing is performed, viral culture may have no additional benefit.

MeSH terms

  • Cost-Benefit Analysis
  • Enterovirus / genetics
  • Enterovirus / isolation & purification*
  • Enterovirus Infections / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Herpesviridae / genetics
  • Herpesviridae / isolation & purification*
  • Herpesviridae Infections / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Humans
  • Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques* / economics
  • Virus Cultivation / economics
  • Virus Cultivation / methods