What is in the Bacterial & Fungal Meningitis Panel?

The TRUPCR® Bacterial & Fungal Meningitis Panel Kit is designed to detect and differentiate nine critical pathogens associated with Bacterial & Fungal Meningitis. These include:

• Haemophilus influenza (A-F)
• Neisseria meningitidis
• Escherichia coli
• Streptococcus agalactiae
• Streptococcus pneumoniae
• Listeria monocytogenes
• Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC)
• Non-tuberculosis Mycobacterium (NTM)
• Cryptococcus neoformans/gattii

Each reaction includes an endogenous internal control to validate PCR performance and check for potential inhibition.

Role of Detected Pathogens in Bacterial & Fungal Meningitis

These microorganisms are common etiologic agents of central nervous system infections. Their presence in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is indicative of either acute or chronic meningitis.

• H. influenzae and N. meningitidis are leading causes of bacterial meningitis in children.
• E. coli and S. agalactiae are frequently implicated in neonatal meningitis.
• S. pneumoniae and L. monocytogenes can cause severe illness in the elderly and immunocompromised.
• M. tuberculosis complex and NTM are responsible for tuberculous and atypical mycobacterial meningitis respectively.
• Cryptococcus species are a key fungal cause, especially in HIV-positive individuals and immunosuppressed patients.

Early and specific identification of these pathogens is crucial for guiding antimicrobial treatment and improving outcomes.

About the TRUPCR® Bacterial & Fungal Meningitis Panel Kit

This Real-Time PCR panel was developed with precision molecular diagnostics in mind. It leverages TaqMan probe chemistry and “hot-start” polymerase technology to enhance detection accuracy and avoid non-specific amplification.

The test is multiplexed, enabling simultaneous detection of all targets within a single run. Designed for use with extracted nucleic acid from CSF samples, the panel provides qualitative results with a low limit of detection (LoD), suitable for both acute care and routine screening environments.

Principle and Workflow

The kit uses fluorescent probe-based Real-Time PCR, with reactions carried out in a closed-tube format to minimize contamination risks. Pathogen-specific conserved regions are targeted using primers and hydrolysis probes.

Workflow:

1. Extract nucleic acids from patient CSF sample.
2. Prepare master mix and load reactions.
3. Run amplification on compatible Real-Time PCR instrument.
4. Analyze amplification curves with internal control verification.

The process is fast and efficient, typically delivering results in under two hours.

Clinical Application

Accurate diagnosis of Bacterial & Fungal Meningitis is essential to avoid neurological damage or death, particularly in pediatric, geriatric, and immunocompromised patients. This panel supports:

• Rapid pathogen identification from CSF specimens
• Early initiation of targeted therapy
• Antimicrobial stewardship by avoiding empirical broad-spectrum use
• Outbreak investigation and hospital infection control

The TRUPCR® Bacterial & Fungal Meningitis Kit is a powerful tool for clinical microbiology labs, infectious disease departments, and reference laboratories.

Image ALT-text suggestion: Bacterial & Fungal Meningitis PCR detection panel for rapid lab diagnostics