Inability of counterimmunoelectrophoresis to detect echovirus in cerebrospinal fluid

Methods for rapid detection of viral antigens in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are needed to aid in the differentiation of viral from bacterial meningitis. The formation of precipitin bands in patients with suspect viral meningitis utilizing viral antisera in a counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE) system has been described. To investigate further the possible value of CIE in the diagnosis of viral meningitis, the specificity of the CSF precipitin bands was studied. Precipitin bands were formed between commercially available type-specific antisera and cell culture supernatant fluids. Precipitin bands were also formed when control CSF was used as an antigen. Using type-specific antisera produced against purified virus, enteroviral antigens were not detected in CSF from patients from whom CSF viruses had been isolated. CIE lacks sufficient sensitivity for the detection of echovirus 11 antigens in CSF.