Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29305150›Full record

ReviewThe Journal of infection2018

Encephalitis diagnosis using metagenomics: application of next generation sequencing for undiagnosed cases.

Julianne R Brown, Tehmina Bharucha, Judith Breuer

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in The Journal of infection, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 142 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
142citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

142 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Diagnostic accuracy of the metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) for detection of bacterial meningoencephalitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases : official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology · 2022
    Pooled it
  5. A need to raise the bar - A systematic review of temporal trends in diagnostics for Japanese encephalitis virus infection, and perspectives for future research.International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases · 2020
    Pooled it
  6. Pooled it
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Suspected encephalitis in adults.Practical neurology · 2026
    Review
  10. Review
  11. A reply to the letter to the editor by Zhuang and colleagues.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2026
    Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. SevereFrontiers in medicine · 2026
    Article
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Review

82 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Julianne R BrownMicrobiology, Virology and Infection Prevention and Control, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, UK. Electronic address: Julianne.brown@nhs.net.
Tehmina BharuchaInfectious Diseases and Microbiology, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, UK; Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, UK.
Judith BreuerMicrobiology, Virology and Infection Prevention and Control, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, UK; Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, UK.

Funding

Department of Health
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCurrent estimates suggest that even in the most resourced settings, the aetiology of encephalitis is identified in less than half of clinical cases. It is acknowledged that filling this gap needs a combination of rigorous sampling and improved diagnostic technologies. Next generation sequencing (NGS) methods are powerful tools with the potential for comprehensive and unbiased detection of pathogens in clinical samples. We reviewed the use of this new technology for the diagnosis of suspected infectious encephalitis, and discuss the feasibility for introduction of NGS methods as a frontline diagnostic test.

methodsA systematic literature review was performed, using MESH and text word searches for variants of "sequencing" and "encephalitis" in Medline and EMbase, and searching bibliographies and citations using the Web of Science database. Two authors independently reviewed, extracted and summarised data.

findingsThe review identified 25 articles reporting 44 case reports of patients with suspected encephalitis for whom NGS was used as a diagnostic tool. We present the data and highlight themes arising from these cases. There are no randomly controlled trials to assess the utility of NGS as a diagnostic tool.

interpretationThere is increasing evidence of a role for NGS in the work-up of undiagnosed encephalitis. Lower costs and increasing accessibility of these technologies will facilitate larger studies of these patients. We recommend NGS should be considered as a front-line diagnostic test in chronic and recurring presentations and, given current sample-to-result turn-around times, as second-line in acute cases of encephalitis.

Indexed as

High-Throughput Nucleotide SequencingAnimalsEncephalitisFeasibility StudiesHumansMetagenomicsDeep sequencingDiagnosisEncephalitisInfectionMetagenomics

Identifiers

PMID29305150
PMCPMC7112567

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.