Skip to main content

Table 3 The potential pathogen detection rate of mNGS, culture, conventional methods and combined methods in different types of CNS infections

From: Clinical application and evaluation of metagenomic next-generation sequencing in suspected adult central nervous system infection

Detection rate

No history of empirical treatment (%, 95% CI)

History of empirical treatment (%, 95% CI)

P value between patients treated or not (%, 95% CI)

Detection rate of CNS infections (n = 159)

 mNGS

50.00% (20/40)

(34.06–65.94)

34.45% (41/119)a

(26.14–43.79)

0.0802

 Culture

25.00% (10/40)

(13.25–41.52)

7.56% (9/119)a

(3.74–14.27)

0.003

 Conventional methods

40.00% (16/40)

(25.28–56.61)

18.49% (22/119)a

(12.19–26.87)

0.006

 Combined methods

55.00% (22/40)

(38.66–70.40)

39.50% (47/119)

(30.78–48.90)

0.087

Bacterial infections (n = 99)

 mNGS

57.14% (16/28)b

(37.43-74.97)

38.03% (27/71)c,d

(27.00–50.36)

0.084

 Culture

21.43% (6/28)b

(9.03–41.46)

11.27% (8/71)c

(5.34–21.53)

0.324

 Conventional methods

39.29% (11/28)

(22.13–59.27)

15.49% (11/71)d

(8.35–26.46)

0.010

 Combined methods

60.71% (17/28)b

(40.73–77.87)

42.25% (30/71)c,d

(30.81–54.54)

0.0976

Viral infections (n = 41)

 mNGS

14.29% (1/7)

(0.75–57.99)

23.53% (8/34)

(11.38–41.57)

> 0.9999

 Culture

N/A

N/A

N/A

 Conventional methods

0.00% (0/7)

(0.00–43.91)

17.65% (6/34)

(7.39–35.17)

0.567

 Combined methods

14.29% (1/7)

(0.75–57.99)

23.53% (8/34)

(11.38–41.57)

0.971

Fungal infections (n = 11)

 mNGS

83.33% (5/6)

(36.48–99.12)

60.00% (3/5)

(17.04–92.74)

0.545

 Culture

83.33% (5/6)

(36.48–99.12)

20.00% (1/5)

(1.05–70.12)

0.080

 Conventional methods

100.00% (6/6)

(51.68–100.00)

60.00% (3/5)

(17.04–92.74)

0.182

 Combined methods

100.00% (6/6)

(51.58–100.00)

(46.29-100.00)

100.00% (5/5)

(46.29–100.00)

> 0.9999

Parasitic infections (n = 3)

 mNGS

N/A

66.7% (2/3)

N/A

 Culture

N/A

N/A

N/A

 Conventional methods

N/A

66.7% (2/3)

N/A

 Combined methods

N/A

66.7% (2/3)

N/A

  1. Conventional methods-negative: Conventional methods (culture, smear, special antibody, biopsy and PCR) were reported negative or not conducted
  2. Combined methods: mNGS and conventional methods
  3. Statistics methods: Chi-square or Fisher’s exact test as listed
  4. N/A not available
  5. aIn all CNS infections without history of empirical treatment before admission, the detection rate of mNGS was significantly higher than that of culture and conventional methods (p value < 0.0083, adjusted for multiple comparisons using Bonferroni (Dunn) method)
  6. bIn bacterial CNS infection patients without history of empirical treatment before admission, the detection rate of mNGS and combined methods were significantly higher than culture (p value < 0.0083, adjusted for multiple comparisons using Bonferroni (Dunn) method)
  7. cIn bacterial CNS infection patients with history of empirical treatment before admission, the detection rate of mNGS and combined methods were significantly higher than culture (p value < 0.0083, adjusted for multiple comparisons using Bonferroni (Dunn) method)
  8. dIn bacterial CNS infection patients with history of empirical treatment before admission, the detection rate of mNGS and combined methods were significantly higher than conventional methods. (p value < 0.0083, adjusted for multiple comparisons using Bonferroni (Dunn) method)
Back to article page

Journal of Translational Medicine

ISSN: 1479-5876

Contact us