Azeem Sheikh.
The Diagnostic Value of C-Reactive Protein Estimation in Differentiating Bacterial from Viral Meningitis.
J Coll Physicians Surg Pak Jan ;11(10):622-4.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of serum and CSF C-reactive protein (C-RP) in differentiating bacterial from viral meningitis. Design: An observational, prospective hospital-based study. Place and Duration of Study: It was conducted at the Department of Medicine and Department of Pediatrics, Shaikh Zayed Postgraduate Medical Institute, Lahore, over a period of one year between March, 1999 and March, 2000. Subjects and Methods: A randomized group of thirty patients, who presented with clinical features, suggestive of meningitis, were included in the study. C-reactive protein determinations were performed by Latex agglutination method on the serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of these patients. Results: In the present study, C-reactive protein was found to be a more sensitive test for differentiating bacterial from non-bacterial meningitis on initial examination than the usual conventional methods used to diagnose bacterial meningitis. CSF C-reactive protein had a greater sensitivity (92%) as compared to serum C-reactive protein (71%). Conclusion: C-reactive protein determination in CSF was found to be a useful indicator of bacterial meningitis that can be used to distinguish it from viral meningitis.

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