[Comparative study of 3 bacteriological tests of cerebrospinal meningitis during the epidemiological period]

During an outbreak of group A meningococcal meningitis in Chad in 1988, a comparative study of three bacteriological techniques (direct microscopic examination, latex agglutination, and culture) was conducted with 120 samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for diagnosis. The results correlated well with cloudy or purulent CSF specimens. Direct microscopic examination was as good a diagnostic indicator as the other tests. The authors recommend using direct microscopic examination, which is easy to perform under field conditions and accurate enough for a rapid diagnosis of cerebrospinal meningitis during an epidemic. However, complete identification of the first cases in the epidemic is important in order to establish control measures as soon as possible.