The diagnostic value of cerebrospinal fluid lactic acid levels in meningitis.

To assess the reliability of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) lactate levels in children for differentiating between bacterial and viral meningitis, we measured the CSF lactate levels using the carboxylic acid analyzer, enzymatic method and colorimetric determination. Lactate determination by these methods is a highly reliable indicator of the presence or absence of bacterial meningitis. Moreover, the duration of elevated CSF lactate levels coincided with the clinical response to therapy.