# Implementation and Effectiveness of a Rapid Cerebrospinal Fluid Diagnostics Program for Children with Suspected Central Nervous System Infection

> **NIH NIH K23** · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER · 2020 · $173,360

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ ABSTRACT
Central nervous system (CNS) infections, including meningitis, encephalitis, and myelitis cause significant
long-term morbidity, mortality and health care costs, with an increased incidence in children. Rapid
identification of an infectious agent in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is essential to guiding the targeted use of
effective antimicrobials in children with suspected CNS infection. Currently utilized diagnostic techniques are
low-yield, slow, and expensive leading to widespread use of unnecessary empiric antimicrobial therapies and
increased health care costs. Newly developed multiplex PCR panels allow for rapid identification of the most
common organisms to cause CNS infections within one hour. However, optimal implementation strategies to
translate these more rapid test results into more rapid, appropriate clinical action are unknown. This project
seeks to optimize implementation of new rapid molecular CSF diagnostic technology in a tertiary care
children’s hospital in conjunction with real-time antimicrobial stewardship decision support using RE-AIM
methodology for implementation and evaluation. The research detailed in this proposal meets the critical unmet
need for clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness data for new rapid diagnostic technologies. This research
aims to develop reproducible and sustainable strategies for implementing rapid diagnostics to optimally impact
the clinical care of children through the following specific aims: (1) To optimize a reproducible implementation
strategy for rapid cerebrospinal fluid diagnostics in children with suspected central nervous system infection,
(2)To measure the impact of a rapid cerebrospinal fluid diagnostics program on the clinical care and health
care costs of children with suspected central nervous system infection. This project is the culmination of the
candidate’s interest and experience in CNS infections and rapid molecular diagnostic technologies. The overall
objective of this career development award is to develop the candidate into an independent principal
investigator in clinical research with expertise in the implementation and evaluation of infectious disease
diagnostics to facilitate timely and efficient clinical care of children. Through experiential mentored research
training and didactic coursework in a doctoral clinical sciences program, essential skills in clinical research,
implementation and dissemination science, clinical outcomes, and cost-effectiveness analysis will be
developed. The candidate has assembled a multidisciplinary team of mentors and advisors with extensive
clinical research experience and topical expertise in the above realms to ensure his success in achieving the
stated specific aims and career goals.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9829535
- **Project number:** 5K23AI128069-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER
- **Principal Investigator:** Kevin Brett Messacar
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $173,360
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-12-12 → 2021-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9829535

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9829535, Implementation and Effectiveness of a Rapid Cerebrospinal Fluid Diagnostics Program for Children with Suspected Central Nervous System Infection (5K23AI128069-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9829535. Licensed CC0.

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