Biofire Comprehensive Meningitis/ Encephalitis

What is BIOFIRE Comprehensive Meningitis/ Encephalitis test?

The BIOFIRE Comprehensive Meningitis/ Encephalitis tests for a broad grouping of targets for fast, pathogen-specific answers that can help save lives and guide appropriate therapy. This test distinguishes bacterial from viral meningitis based on clinical presentation alone is not only challenging, but it can also be a matter of life and death—especially in the younger patients.

Why consider BIOFIRE Comprehensive Meningitis/ Encephalitis test?

• The BIOFIRE Comprehensive Meningitis/ Encephalitis panel can provide the essential combination of speed, accuracy, and comprehensiveness to enable fast identification of a probable pathogen.
• This panel accelerates diagnoses, streamlining antimicrobial decisions and improving patient management by reducing hospital stays. Additionally, it enhances pathogen detection for a more comprehensive diagnostic approach.
• Reduce Time to Diagnosis
• Optimize Antimicrobial Decision-Making
• Improve Patient Management
• Detect Pathogens More Often
• Overall 94.2% sensitivity and 99.8% specificity

Who should get this BIOFIRE Comprehensive Meningitis/ Encephalitis test?

• Patients presenting with suspected meningitis or encephalitis who have compatible symptoms (e.g., fever, severe headache, confusion, seizures, focal deficits) and for whom CSF analysis is planned to rapidly clarify bacterial versus viral causes.
• High-risk groups where expedited diagnosis can alter outcomes: infants and young children, older adults, pregnant patients, immunocompromised individuals (e.g., HIV, chemotherapy, transplant), and those who are critically ill or rapidly deteriorating.
• Cases where early pathogen identification could enable prompt narrowing or escalation of antimicrobials/antivirals while conventional cultures and targeted tests are pending.

More Information

OTHER NAMES: BioFire FilmArray Meningitis/Encephalitis Panel, BioFire ME Panel, FilmArray ME Panel, Multiplex CSF meningitis/encephalitis PCR panel, BIOFIRE test

Meningitis is inflammation of the meninges (the protective membranes around the brain and spinal cord), while encephalitis is inflammation of the brain tissue itself; both are medical emergencies that require prompt evaluation and treatment. Common overlap exists, and both can occur together as meningoencephalitis. Meningitis commonly presents with fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, photophobia, and nausea/vomiting; encephalitis more often features altered mental status, confusion, seizures, focal deficits, or personality/behavioural changes.