We aimed to report a 32-month laboratory experience with the eazyplex^® CSF direct panel assay for the rapid diagnosis of meningitis due to six most common bacterial species (Escherichia coli, Haemophilus influenzae, Listeria monocytogenes, Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Streptococcus pneumoniae). We included all cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from patients admitted with a clinical suspicion of meningitis/encephalitis between May 2016 and December 2018 at our hospital. In addition to the eazyplex^® assay, both Gram stain microscopy and culture were performed, and results were confirmed with 16S rRNA PCR/sequencing. Patients’ demographics and relevant clinical information were collected. Of 135 studied patients, 44 (32.6%) had a microbiologically documented diagnosis of meningitis. Overall, we identified 21 S. pneumoniae, 10 N. meningitidis, 6 L. monocytogenes, 3 E. coli, 2 Streptococcus pyogenes, 1 S. agalactiae, and 1 Citrobacter koseri as aetiological agents. The eazyplex^® assay allowed identification in 40 (90.9%) cases, with four not identified cases due to microorganisms not included in the panel at the time of testing. Thirty-two (72.7%) cases had positive culture results, whereas 28 (63.6%) cases had positive Gram stain results. Notably, combining Gram stain and eazyplex^® assay allowed identification in 100% of cases. After notification of rapid results, physicians modified the empiric antibiotic therapy, which became appropriate in three patients (all with L. monocytogenes meningitis). The eazyplex^® CSF panel assay worked better than culture in detecting the most common agents of bacterial meningitis and accelerated the diagnosis leading to timely initiation or continuation of appropriate antibiotic therapy.

我们的目的是报告与eazyplex 32个月的实验室经验^® CSF直接面板试验脑膜炎引起的六种最常见的细菌种类（快速诊断大肠埃希氏菌，流感嗜血杆菌，李斯特菌，脑膜炎奈瑟菌，无乳链球菌和肺炎链球菌）。我们纳入了我院2016年5月至2018年12月之间因临床怀疑脑膜炎/脑炎入院的患者的所有脑脊液（CSF）样本。除了eazyplex ^®检测，革兰氏染色显微镜检查和培养均进行，并通过16S rRNA PCR /测序确认结果。收集患者的人口统计资料和相关的临床信息。在135名研究过的患者中，有44名（32.6％）具有微生物学记录的脑膜炎诊断。总体而言，我们确定了21例肺炎链球菌，10例脑膜炎奈瑟氏球菌，6株单核细胞增生李斯特菌，3株大肠杆菌，2例化脓性链球菌，1株无乳链球菌和1株科氏柠檬酸杆菌作为病原体。该eazyplex ^®该检测可鉴定40例（90.9％）病例，其中有4例未鉴定病例，原因是测试时面板中未包含微生物。培养结果呈阳性的有32例（72.7％），而革兰氏染色阳性的有28例（63.6％）。值得注意的是，结合革兰氏染色和eazyplex ^®测定允许的识别的情况下的100％。收到快速结果的通知后，医生修改了经验性抗生素治疗，这对三名患者（均患有单核细胞增生李斯特氏菌脑膜炎）适用。所述eazyplex ^® CSF面板测定中检测细菌性脑膜炎的最常见药物工作优于培养和加速导致及时启动或适当的抗生素治疗延续诊断。