中枢神経系感染症の遺伝子診断

Molecular Approaches for the Diagnosis of Central Nervous System Infections

近年，遺伝子解析技術は分離菌株の迅速な菌種の同定のみならず，検体から直接，微量な病原体を検出，同定する際に追加の検査として利用される。本稿では，「感染症診断において，どのような状況で遺伝子検査を活用するか」を把握してもらうべく，中枢神経系感染症例の病態や病因診断までのプロセスを紹介したい。遺伝子解析技術を用いた感染症の診断においても，臨床医との緊密なコミュニケーションが重要であることを強調したい。

Abstract

In recent years, molecular microbiology techniques have proven to be a useful supplement to conventional assays not only in identification of strains from culture, but also in direct detection of pathogens from clinical specimens. This review explores the application of molecular diagnostic techniques for infectious diseases in certain clinical contexts. It aims to assess how these molecular techniques can be integrated to enhance diagnostic capabilities for infectious diseases of the central nervous system. Finally, it emphasizes the need for close collaboration between physicians and clinical microbiologists when considering molecular diagnostics from unusual specimens/cases, because assays must be customized according to the clinical settings.