Levels of individual serum and cerebrospinal fluid proteins in purulent and tuberculous meningitis.

Serial determinations of nine proteins in sera and cerebrospinal fluid of 28 tuberculous and 27 purulent meningitis patients were carried out using the radial immunodiffusion technique. The results showed that mean fluid/serum ratios of most proteins before treatment were significantly higher in the purulent than in the tuberculous group. With treatment, all proteins improved in both groups at varying rates with IgM showing the fastest rate of improvement. These findings may prove to be of prognostic aid for the clinician in the follow-up of his patients.