CSF lysosomal hydrolase activity as an aid in the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis

✍ Scribed by Warren F. Diven; Robert H. Glew; John C. Ihongbe; Jackson Omene

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1981
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 382 KB
• Volume: 136
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0340-6997
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00441704

✦ Synopsis

The activity of the lysosomal enzymes acid phosphatase, fi-glucuronidase, a-mannosidase and hexosaminidase were determined in CSF obtained from patients with proven bacterial meningitis and from patients with various other diagnoses. The mean value for CSF fl-glucuronidase from bacterial meningitis was elevated 73-fold when compared to the aggregate mean of all control groups. Acid phosphatase and amannosidase means were 26-fold and 33-fold elevated respectively while hexosaminidase was threefold elevated. Measurement of CSF acid phosphatase and fl-glucuronidase should prove a rapid useful test in establishing the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis.

Chromatography of CSF samples on DEAE Sephadex allowed the resolution of hexosaminidase and fl-glucuronidase into individual isozymes. The ratio of hexosaminidase A to hexosaminidase B was generally higher in CSF from patients with bacterial meningitis but was very variable. The isozyme distribution for fl-glucuronidase was identical to that found in serum and no differences in pattern were found between patients and control subjects.