Impact of a Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay on the Clinical Management of Adults Undergoing a Lumbar Puncture for Suspected Community-Onset Central Nervous System Infections

Patients admitted from the community with a suspected central nervous system (CNS) infection require prompt diagnostic evaluation and correct antimicrobial treatment. A retrospective, multicenter, pre/post intervention study was performed to evaluate the impact that the BioFire FilmArray meningitis/encephalitis (ME) panel run in-house had on the clinical management of adult patients admitted from the community with a lumbar puncture (LP) performed for a suspected CNS infection. The primary outcome was the effect that this intervention had on herpes simplex virus (HSV) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) turnaround time (TAT). Secondary outcomes included the effect that this intervention had on antiviral days of therapy (DOT), total antimicrobial DOT, and hospital length of stay (LOS). A total of 81 and 79 patients were included in the pre-intervention and post-intervention cohorts, respectively. The median HSV PCR TAT was significantly longer in the pre-intervention group (85 vs. 4.1 h, < 0.001). Total antiviral DOT was significantly greater in the pre-intervention group (3 vs. 1, < 0.001), as was total antimicrobial DOT (7 vs. 5, < 0.001). Pre-intervention hospital LOS was also significantly longer (6.6 vs. 4.4 days, = 0.02). Implementing the ME panel in-house for adults undergoing an LP for a suspected community-onset CNS infection significantly reduced the HSV PCR TAT, antiviral DOT, total antimicrobial DOT, and hospital LOS.