ArticleFrontiers in microbiology2025
Clinical application of metagenomic next-generation sequencing in rapid diagnosis and prognostic assessment of herpes simplex encephalitis.
Article in Frontiers in microbiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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.
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.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Purpose: Herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) ranks among the most common causes of severe viral encephalitis. It leads to meningitis or encephalitis, with patients frequently encountering adverse outcomes. In this study, we utilized metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) to rapidly and accurately detect and identify the HSV pathogen directly from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples, aiming to achieve a definitive diagnosis for encephalitis patients. Methods: From 2018 to 2023, we prospectively identified and enrolled 28 patients diagnosed with HSE at Hengshui People's Hospital. CSF samples were subjected to mNGS to facilitate the diagnosis and characterization of HSE in this cohort. We compiled the clinical characteristics, supplementary examinations, and outcomes of HSE patients, with prognosis assessed using the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) scores at discharge, 1 month post-discharge, and 3 months thereafter. Results: In this cohort of 28 patients, 12 were females and 16 males, with a mean age of 41.82 ± 18.23. HSE manifested with a variety of clinical symptoms, the most prevalent being headaches (67.9%), fever exceeding 38°C (60.7%), and altered consciousness (60.7%). Seizures (42.9%), vomiting (35.7%), and speech deficits (35.7%) were frequently observed, with a minority of patients displaying personality changes (28.6%). CSF analysis revealed pleocytosis and a mild increase in protein levels. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities (28.6%) were primarily confined to the frontal and temporal lobes as well as limbic regions, with no indications of cerebral hemorrhage. Half of the patients exhibited Electroencephalogram (EEG) changes suggestive of encephalitis. HSE was confirmed through mNGS analysis of CSF within 3 days of admission. All patients received empirical treatment with ganciclovir, with 46.4% undergoing hormonotherapy and 32.1% receiving immunoglobulin therapy. At the three-month follow-up, 32.1% had GOS scores <5. Conclusion: HSE often presents with nonspecific signs of encephalitis, and it's not easy for traditional CNS examinations to confirm the diagnosis. mNGS serves as a cutting-edge diagnostic tool for the rapid and precise identification of HSE, facilitating timely clinical diagnosis and intervention to prevent the progression of the disease.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.