Meningococcal disease tests
Explanation
Meningococcal disease tests look for a bacterium called Neisseria meningitidis. It can cause bloodstream infection or meningitis, an infection of the tissues around the brain and spinal cord. Testing may use blood or the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord.
What do culture and PCR mean?
A culture checks whether bacteria grow from the sample in the laboratory. PCR, short for polymerase chain reaction, looks for genetic material from the bacteria. The tests provide different information, so clinicians may use more than one method.
What are the limits of a negative result?
The sample and test method matter. Antibiotics given before sampling can make a culture less likely to detect the bacteria. A test for these bacteria also does not check for every other cause of meningitis. Clinicians interpret the result alongside the examination and other tests.
Does treatment wait for the result?
Meningococcal disease can become serious quickly. Clinicians start prompt antibiotic treatment when they suspect it, without waiting for laboratory confirmation.
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