Assay to distinguish bacterial meningitis type

Researchers have developed an assay using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy for the detection of bacterial meningitis.

A group of scientists from the University of Manchester (Manchester, UK) and the University of Strathclyde (Glasgow, UK) has developed a rapid assay for the detection of bacterial meningitis. The assay has improved sensitivity compared with current techniques and is able to distinguish between different bacteria types.

In the UK, 3400 people are reported to contract bacterial meningitis each year, which can often lead to mortality due to rapid onset and severity. Identifying the correct bacteria (the most common types include Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitides) is vital to ensure the most effective treatment is used and reduce overuse of antibiotics.

The assay uses the enzyme λ-exonuclease and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy to distinguish different bacteria types, which are found in cerebrospinal fluid of patients.

The team reflected on the significance of their findings, “This method of bacterial meningitis detection produces consistent results faster than conventional culture-based methods. We believe this is a promising alternative to current PCR methods of detection and could be applied to the detection of a variety of bacterial, fungal and viral diseases.”

Source: Gracie K, Correa E, Mabbott S et al. Simultaneous detection and quantification of three bacterial meningitis pathogens by SERS. Chem. Sci. DOI: 10.1039/C3SC52875H (2014) (Epub ahead of print).