Clinical utility of anaerobic culture of cerebrospinal fluid

Anaerobic meningitis is a rare serious clinical condition which mainly affects vulnerable populations and patients with predisposing factors such as head trauma, prior neurosurgical procedures or implantable medical devices such as ventriculoperitoneal shunts or ventricular drains. In this study we retrieved data from aerobic and anaerobic cultures of cerebrospinal (CSF) or ventricular fluid ordered over a 5 year period at our institution. A total of 8868 aerobic and 594 anaerobic cultures were performed from 2013 to 2017. 24/594 (4%) anaerobic cultures from 14 patients were positive for anaerobes. Only 3 of those patients were diagnosed clinically with anaerobic meningitis, each with predisposing factors, while anaerobes (Cutibacterium acnes and Clostridium perfringens) recovered from the remaining 21 patients were regarded as contaminants. 129/8868 (1.45%) aerobic CSF cultures were positive for anaerobes. 120/129 (93%) cultures recovered C. acnes while non-C. acnes anaerobes were recovered in the remaining 9 cultures and were deemed to be contaminants. In the majority of situations, recovery of C. acnes from CSF or ventricular fluid was regarded as contamination. Our cohort included 18 patients with a ventriculoperitoneal shunt or ventricular drain, 17 of whom had C. acnes recovered from either aerobic or anaerobic culture, and 10 were treated with targeted antibiotics and surgical replacement of the shunt or drain. Anaerobic culture of the CSF or ventricular fluid aided in identification of two patients with anaerobic meningitis and an additional two patients with shunt infection. Anaerobe culture of CSF is important in identification of anaerobic meningitis, as growth of anaerobes other than C. acnes is rare from aerobic CSF culture. •Anaerobic meningitis is rare.•Cutibacterium acnes is often recovered from aerobic and anaerobic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cultures.•Cutibacterium acnes recovery may be clinically important in patients with shunt dysfunction.•Anaerobic CSF culture is important to perform when anaerobic meningitis is suspected.