Meningococcal Disease Tests
Reviewed
Meningococcal disease tests look for Neisseria meningitidis bacteria in your blood or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). These tests include culture, PCR, and antigen tests. Meningococcal disease can cause meningitis and bloodstream infections, which are serious and can become deadly quickly. If you have symptoms like sudden high fever, neck stiffness, confusion, or a dark purple rash, seek medical attention immediately. Treatment with antibiotics should begin as soon as possible after diagnosis.
Preparation and collection
Talk to your provider and ask about any special preparations. You may need to fast (not eat or drink) before the test. You may also need to stop taking certain medicines, so be sure to tell your provider about everything you take. But do not stop taking any medicines unless your provider tells you to.
Understanding this test
Use the reference interval and units printed by the laboratory that performed the test. A result outside that interval is not a diagnosis by itself, and a result inside it does not rule out every condition. Your symptoms, history, medicines, timing, and related tests can change what the result means.
- Signs and symptoms of meningococcal disease are often similar to other illnesses, which can make diagnosis challenging.
- If not treated early and with the right type of treatment, meningococcal infection can get worse quickly and cause death.
What to do next
If your test is positive: You most likely have meningococcal disease. You will get treatment with antibiotics. Ideally treatment will begin less than 24 hours after your diagnosis is confirmed. If your test is negative: Most likely, your symptoms are not caused by meningococcal disease. If you have questions about your results, talk to your provider.
Evidence source
U.S. National Library of Medicine: Meningococcal Disease Tests