5 Key Takeaways

• 1

  Over 60% of meningitis/encephalitis cases remain undiagnosed despite extensive testing in well-resourced hospitals.

• 2

  Current diagnostics are hypothesis-driven, often leading to delays due to the stepwise nature of testing and limited cerebrospinal fluid volume.

• 3

  Earlier use of comprehensive metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) can significantly reduce time to diagnosis and microbiologic tests ordered.

• 4

  mNGS is particularly beneficial for immunocompromised patients and those with atypical presentations, culture-negative results, or limited CSF volume.

• 5

  Successful integration of mNGS into clinical practice requires validation, standardized reporting, clinician education, and clear ordering criteria.