Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42082938›Full record

ArticleBMC infectious diseases2026

When the meningitis-encephalitis panel is negative: off-label joint infection PCR detects CTX-M ESBL-producing Proteus mirabilis in adult meningoencephalitis.

Márk Kozák, Levente Majoros, Ferenc Bodnár, Rebeka Hodossy-Takács, Lilla Hudák, Lilla Rácz, Viktor Bencs, István Várkonyi

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In one paragraph

Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Márk KozákDepartment of Infectology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 2-26 Bartok Bela Street, Debrecen, 4031, Hungary. kozak.mark@med.unideb.hu.
Levente MajorosDepartment of Infectology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 2-26 Bartok Bela Street, Debrecen, 4031, Hungary.
Ferenc BodnárDepartment of Infectology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 2-26 Bartok Bela Street, Debrecen, 4031, Hungary.
Rebeka Hodossy-TakácsDivision of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, and MTA-DE Lendület "Momentum" Hemostasis and Stroke Research Group, Debrecen, Hungary.
Lilla HudákDepartment of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.
Lilla RáczDepartment of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.
Viktor BencsDepartment of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.
István VárkonyiDepartment of Infectology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 2-26 Bartok Bela Street, Debrecen, 4031, Hungary.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Spontaneous Gram-negative bacillary meningitis in adults is rare and carries high mortality, particularly in elderly patients with significant comorbidities. Although multiplex meningitis-encephalitis (ME) panels have improved diagnostic turnaround time, their limited pathogen spectrum may reduce sensitivity for certain clinically relevant Gram-negative organisms. We report a 78-year-old man presenting with acute meningoencephalitis, septic deterioration, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) findings strongly suggestive of bacterial infection. Despite marked neutrophilic pleocytosis and elevated protein levels, the multiplex ME panel was negative. Blood cultures subsequently yielded Proteus mirabilis. Given the discordance between inflammatory CSF findings and routine molecular testing, following interdisciplinary consultation, an off-label BioFire

Indexed as

beta-LactamasesMeningitis, BacterialMeningoencephalitisProteus InfectionsProteus mirabilisAgedAnti-Bacterial AgentsCeftriaxoneHumansMaleMeropenemMultiplex Polymerase Chain ReactionPolymerase Chain ReactionAnti-Bacterial Agentsbeta-LactamasesCeftriaxoneMeropenemBacterial meningitisExtended-spectrum beta-lactamaseMultiplex PCROff-label useProteus mirabilis

Identifiers

PMID42082938
PMCPMC13289471

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.