Test Information

An Emperic Therapy Guide for adult patients is available to aid inselecting optimal therapy for pathogens detected by this assay.

Important Limitations:

• This test should be interpreted in conjunction with other laboratory data and the patient’s clinical presentation.
• If there is a strong clinical suspicion for HSV encephalitis, a single negative test does not rule this entity out.
• The ME Panel is not as sensitive as the cryptococcal antigen test for the diagnosis of cryptococcal meningitis.
• HHV-6 is chromosomally integrated into the DNA of 1-2% of the human population. Detection does not equal disease.
• This assay does NOT test for neurotropic arbovirus infection. Arboviruses potentially found in the northeastern USA include West Nile virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus, Powassan virus, and Jamestown Canyon virus. If these pathogens are suspected clinically, please contact Infectious Disease for guidance around optimal test ordering.