Patent ID: 6258570
Filing Date: 2001-07-10
Classification: C07K,C12Q

Abstract:
A multiplex assay for the simultaneous detection and discrimination of pathogens that cause bacterial and viral meningitis in a patient, comprising:obtaining a sample of cerebrospinal fluid from a patient suspected of being afflicted with bacterial or viral meningitis;amplifying the most common pathogens that cause bacterial meningitis and viral meningitis in said sample of cerebrospinal fluid by PCR technique using amplification primers for each of said common pathogens, said primers comprising NM12 (SEQ ID NO: 1), NM15 (SEQ ID NO: 3), HI-4 (SEQ ID NO: 4), HI-5 (SEQ ID NO: 6), JM201 (SEQ ID NO: 10), JM202 (SEQ ID NO: 12), MD-90 (SEQ ID NO: 7), and MD-91 (SEQ ID NO: 9); andusing labeled probes specific for a portion of the region amplified by said primers that can be detected to determine whether the bacterial or viral pathogens identified by each of said labeled probes is present in said sample of cerebrospinal fluid, said probes comprising NM16 (SEQ ID NO: 2), HI-6B (SEQ ID NO: 5), JM204 (SEQ ID NO: 11), and EVP (SEQ ID NO: 8).