How long does it take for meningitis test results to come through?

Question

My friend's 18 months old baby was rushed to hospital with suspected meningitis yesterday eve and is stil waiting for test results.... is that normal? does it usually take so long... she's been told to expect the results tomorrow eve ie nearly 48hrs later.

Answer 1

Yes, it is that normal (or long if you would like to put it time-wise). And therein lies the irony, because if indeed the patient has epidemic spinal meningitis (the meningitis disease caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis), the symptoms would be present during the first hour or two (usually presents as headache, stiff neck, fever) and would progress at about 4 to 6 hours and then the patient dies...and if the lab work, i.e. CSF sample or blood sample sometimes, is performed during the first hour of admission, the patient would be already dead before anything can grow in the culture medium.

And it is not only N. meningitidis that can cause meningitis, because some other bacteria, fungi, viruses, and even parasites can cause the said disease. The fact is that the time frame depends on what type of organism is causing the disease...although in most cases, broad spectrum antibiotics is administered to the patient as the primary intervention while waiting for the lab result. Once the results are in and a definitive pathologic agent has been identified, aggresive treatment is initiated.

Answer 2

Meningitis Lab Results

Answer 3

I went to immediate care today and got a blood test for meningitis and was told it takes 24 hours. My brain hurts, neck stiff. They gave me 800 mg ibuprofen and I feel horrible.

Answer 4

CSF microscopy and biochemistry report is obtained within hours; even possible within minutes. It depends upon the routine of the laboratory.Some labs. charge more money for an urgent report.The organism can be identified by Gram staining and Latex Particle Agglutination within minutes. Culture takes days. If the culture is positive, antibiotic sensitivity report is given in 6 days.

Answer 5

My daughter had meningitis at four months. She was so pumped full of anti-biotics that we never got accurate results from her blood tests. But I believe it can take days as they have to 'grow' the cultures.

I hope all's well. My daughter was none the worse for her experience x

Answer 6

1

Answer 7

i remember watching something on tv and the drs dr's told the parents it takes 24 hours for the results to come back xx