Publication Name	World Journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases
Manuscript ID	126581
DOI	10.5495/wjcid.126581
Country	Lebanon

Category	Infectious Diseases
Manuscript Type	Retrospective Study
Article Title	Real-world diagnostic yield of cerebrospinal fluid molecular testing in adults with suspected meningitis after empirical antibiotic exposure in Lebanon
Manuscript Source	Unsolicited Manuscript
All Author List	Isabelle Basbouss-Serhal and Fatima Fayad
Funding Agency and Grant Number
Corresponding Author	Isabelle Basbouss-Serhal, Lecturer, PhD, Researcher, Department of Molecular Biology, Sibline Governmental Hospital, Sibline 5858, Lebanon. isabellebasbouss@hotmail.com
Key Words	Adult meningitis; Central nervous system infections; Cerebrospinal fluid; Diagnostic yield; Empirical antibiotics; Lebanon; Molecular diagnostics; Polymerase chain reaction
Core Tip	This retrospective study describes the real-world diagnostic yield of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) molecular testing in 50 adults with suspected meningitis in Lebanon. Molecular testing identified Streptococcus pneumoniae and herpes simplex virus type 2 in two culture-negative patients, both of whom had received empirical antibiotics before lumbar puncture. However, the small number of positive cases prevents conclusions regarding the effect of antibiotic exposure on molecular detection or the diagnostic performance of polymerase chain reaction. Molecular testing may provide complementary etiological information when conventional CSF culture is negative.
Citation	Basbouss-Serhal I, Fayad F. Real-world diagnostic yield of cerebrospinal fluid molecular testing in adults with suspected meningitis after empirical antibiotic exposure in Lebanon. World J Clin Infect Dis 2026; In press DOI: https://doi.org/10.5495/wjcid.126581
PDF	126581-in-press.pdf

Received	2026-08-10 06:04
Peer-Review Started	2026-08-10 06:04
First Decision by Editorial Office Director
Return for Revision	2026-09-02 06:26
Revised	2026-09-10 09:34
Publication Fee Transferred
Second Decision by Editor	2026-11-13 03:16
Second Decision by Editor-in-Chief
Final Decision by Editorial Office Director	2026-11-13 10:27
Articles in Press	2026-11-13 10:27
Edit the Manuscript by Language Editor
Typeset the Manuscript

ISSN	2220-3176 (online)
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