Clinical Utilization of the FilmArray Meningitis/Encephalitis (ME) Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Assay.

To assess the clinical utilization and performance of the FilmArray® Meningitis/Encephalitis (ME) multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) panel in a hospital setting. Rapid diagnosis and treatment of central nervous system (CNS) infections are critical to reduce morbidity and mortality. The ME panel is a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved rapid multiplex PCR assay that targets 14 bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

Zika Virus and Neurologic Disease.

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an arthropod-borne virus that belongs to the Flaviviridae family. Although most cases are mild or go undetected, rare severe neurologic effects, including congenital ZIKV syndrome (CZS) and Guillain-Barré syndrome, have been identified. The serious neurologic complications associated with ZIKV prompted the declaration of the public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization.

Nervous System Infections and the Global Traveler.

Neurological complications of infectious diseases are associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. It is imperative that neurologists be up-to-date on current developments including typical and atypical presentations of neurological infections in travelers, diagnostic and treatment recommendations, and emerging pathogen resistance patterns to avoid fatal outcomes and long-term sequelae. This article will address concepts of emerging and reemerging infectious diseases, and will provide updates on the neurological manifestations of select emerging and reemerging infections, including Ebola virus, bacterial meningitis, enterovirus 71, Zika virus, cerebral malaria, and Japanese encephalitis.

Potential Clinical Value of Multiparametric PET in the Prediction of Alzheimer's Disease Progression.

Objective: To evaluate the potential clinical value of quantitative functional FDG PET and pathological amyloid-β PET with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers and clinical assessments in the prediction of Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression.

Methods: We studied 82 subjects for up to 96 months (median = 84 months) in a longitudinal Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) project. All preprocessed PET images were spatially normalized to standard Montreal Neurologic Institute space.