Prevalence of Pathogens in Cerebrospinal Fluid Obtained From Emergency Department Patients

Of all emergency room patients, persons presenting with encephalitis/meningitis syndrome of a potentially infectious nature are among those of greatest concern. Routine clinical and laboratory evaluation of such patients involves screening for known infectious disease agents, selection of which is nonstandardized. Progress in diagnostic technologies, especially molecular techniques based on genetic characteristics of potential pathogens, has greatly expanded the investigators capacity to evaluate specimens from patients for a much wider range of potential pathogens (bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic agents). Use of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technology offers the possibility of identifying causative agents for the approximately 50% of all such presentations which go un-diagnosed. The investigators propose a study involving a collaboration between the EMERGEncy ID NET, a network of 10 geographically diverse university-affiliated urban emergency departments (coordinated by Olive View-UCLA Medical Center) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to use these new technologies to address this issue.