Diagnostics and Discovery in Viral Central Nervous System Infections

The range of viruses implicated in central nervous system disease continues to grow with globalization of travel and trade, emergence and reemergence of zoonoses and investments in discovery science. Diagnosis of viral central nervous system infections is challenging in that brain tissue, where the pathogen concentration is likely to be highest, is not readily obtained and sensitive methods for molecular and serological detection of infection are not available in most clinical microbiology laboratories. Here we review these challenges and discuss how they may be addressed using advances in molecular, proteomic and immunological methods.