Table 1.
First tier pathology tests
| Aetiology | Specimen | Test request | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bacteria (β-haemolytic streptococci, Haemophilus influenzae, Listeria monocytogenes, Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae) | CSF | Routine culture, cell count, Gram stain, protein, glucose, lactate | N. meningitidis PCR if clinically indicated |
| Cryptococcus | CSF | Antigen detection | |
| EBV, CMV, HHV6, HHV7 | CSF | PCR | If HSV1/2 negative |
| Enterovirus | CSF | Enterovirus PCR | |
| HIV | Blood | Antibody detection | |
| HSV1/2, VZV | CSF | PCR | |
| RRV, BFV, MVE, Kunjin, JEV | Paired sera | Antibody detection | |
| NMDAR and VGKC receptor antibody | CSF | Antibodies | |
| Stored specimens | Serum, CSF, throat, faeces | Store | Bank ~5 ml blood |
BFV, Barmah Forest virus; CMV, cytomegalovirus; CT, computerized tomography; EBV, Epstein–Barr virus; HHV, human herpes virus; HSV, herpes simplex virus; JEV, Japanese encephalitis virus; MRI, magnetic resonance imaging; MVE, Murray Valley encephalitis; NMDAR, Anti-N-methyl d-aspartate receptor; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; RRV, Ross River virus; VGKC, voltage-gated potassium channels; VZV, varicella zoster virus.