Open AccessDiagnostics and Discovery in Viral Central Nervous System Infections
Author(s) -
Lipkin Walter Ian,
Hornig Mady
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
brain pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.986
H-Index - 132
eISSN - 1750-3639
pISSN - 1015-6305
DOI - 10.1111/bpa.12277
Subject(s) - central nervous system , biology , serology , virology , disease , pathogen , clinical microbiology , viral infection , medicine , immunology , neuroscience , virus , microbiology and biotechnology , pathology , antibody
The range of viruses implicated in central nervous system disease continues to grow with globalization of travel and trade, emergence and reemergence of zoonoses and investments in discovery science. Diagnosis of viral central nervous system infections is challenging in that brain tissue, where the pathogen concentration is likely to be highest, is not readily obtained and sensitive methods for molecular and serological detection of infection are not available in most clinical microbiology laboratories. Here we review these challenges and discuss how they may be addressed using advances in molecular, proteomic and immunological methods.