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Lipocalin 2 in cerebrospinal fluid as a marker of acute bacterial meningitis

Tamazoust Guiddir, Ala-Eddine Deghmane, Dario Giorgini

  • 1Institut Pasteur, Invasive Bacterial Infections Unit and National Reference Centre for Meningococci, 28 Rue du Dr Roux, 75724 Paris, Cedex 15, France. mktaha@pasteur.fr.

BMC Infectious Diseases
|June 3, 2014
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Lipocalin 2 shows promise as a biomarker for bacterial meningitis. Elevated levels in cerebrospinal fluid can help differentiate bacterial from viral meningitis, aiding early diagnosis.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Immunology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Distinguishing between acute bacterial and viral meningitis is clinically challenging.
  • Lipocalin 2, a protein involved in innate immunity, is explored as a potential diagnostic marker.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate lipocalin 2's efficacy in differentiating acute bacterial meningitis from viral meningitis.
  • To assess lipocalin 2 as a biomarker in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

Main Methods:

  • Experimental meningitis was induced in transgenic mice, with CSF lipocalin 2 levels monitored post-infection.
  • Human CSF samples from patients with confirmed bacterial (n=90) or viral (n=44) meningitis were analyzed for lipocalin 2.

Main Results:

  • Lipocalin 2 was detected in mouse CSF within 5 hours of infection.
  • Significantly higher lipocalin 2 levels were observed in bacterial meningitis patients (mean 125 pg/mL) compared to viral meningitis patients (mean 2 pg/mL).
  • Diagnostic performance included 81% sensitivity, 93% specificity, 96% positive predictive value, and 71% negative predictive value for bacterial meningitis.

Conclusions:

  • Elevated lipocalin 2 concentrations in CSF can effectively distinguish between acute bacterial and viral meningitis.
  • Lipocalin 2 serves as a valuable biomarker for diagnosing bacterial meningitis in patients presenting with meningitis symptoms.

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