The Role of Molecular Biomarkers in the Diagnosis and Prognosis of Brain Infections
Authors
Adilah Nur Salsabila , Tisya Nasywa Ramdhini , Gede Naradhea PramudiantaraDOI:
10.29303/jbt.v25i4a.10476Published:
2025-11-18Issue:
Vol. 25 No. 4a (2025): Special IssueKeywords:
Brain infections, cytokines, ferritin, lactate, molecular biomarkers, PCR.Articles
Downloads
How to Cite
Downloads
Abstract
Brain infections are among the most severe neurological disorders, with high morbidity and mortality. Conventional diagnostic approaches often face limitations in sensitivity, specificity, and time efficiency. Advances in molecular biotechnology have introduced molecular biomarkers as valuable tools for improving diagnostic and prognostic precision. This literature review, based on publications from 2015 to 2024 retrieved from PubMed, ScienceDirect, ProQuest, SpringerLink, and Google Scholar, aims to explore the role of molecular biomarkers in brain infections. Pathogen based biomarkers such as Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP), and multiplex assays enable rapid and specific pathogen detection, while host response biomarkers, including cytokines such as IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IP-10, as well as ferritin and lactate levels in cerebrospinal fluid, reflect neuroinflammatory processes. The integration of pathogen detection and host response biomarkers enhances diagnostic accuracy, facilitates individualized therapeutic strategies, and contributes to improved clinical outcomes in neuroinfectious diseases.
References
Bodaghi, A., Fattahi, N., & Ramazani, A. (2023). Biomarkers: Promising and valuable tools towards diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of COVID-19 and other diseases. Heliyon, 9(2), e13323. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13323
Bodilsen, J., Dalager-Pedersen, M., Schønheyder, H. C., & Nielsen, H. (2016). Time to antibiotic therapy and outcome in bacterial meningitis: A Danish population-based cohort study. BMC Infectious Diseases, 16, 392. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-016-1711-z
Bodilsen, J., Storgaard, M., Larsen, L., Wiese, L., Helweg-Larsen, J., Lebech, A. M., Brandt, C., Østergaard, C., Nielsen, H., & DASGIB Study Group. (2018). Infectious meningitis and encephalitis in adults in Denmark: A prospective nationwide observational cohort study (DASGIB). Clinical Microbiology and Infection, 24(10), 1102.e1–1102.e5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmi.2018.01.016
Califf, R. M. (2018). Biomarker definitions and their applications. Experimental Biology and Medicine, 243(3), 213–221. https://doi.org/10.1177/1535370217750088
Dahshan, A., Youssef, A. H., Al Subhi, A., Darweesh, W. S., Al Fahdi, Z., & Al Yahyaai, M. (2024). The hidden threat: Subdural empyema strikes a healthy teen. Egyptian Journal of Neurology, Psychiatry and Neurosurgery, 60(1), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41983-024-00849-1
Dhania, A., & Simanjuntak, R. (2024). Penurunan kesadaran et causa ensefalitis. Jurnal Kedokteran dan Kesehatan Malikussaleh, 3(5), 53–63. https://doi.org/10.29103/jkkmm.v3i5.16281
Diallo, K., Feteh, V. F., Ibe, L., Antonio, M., Caugant, D. A., du Plessis, M., Deghmane, A. E., Feavers, I. M., Fernandez, K., Fox, L. A. M., Rodrigues, C. M. C., Ronveaux, O., Taha, M. K., Wang, X., Brueggemann, A. B., Maiden, M. C. J., & Harrison, O. B. (2021). Molecular diagnostic assays for the detection of common bacterial meningitis pathogens: A narrative review. EBioMedicine, 65, 103274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2021.103274
Dorsett, M., & Liang, S. Y. (2016). Diagnosis and treatment of central nervous system infections in the emergency department. Emergency Medicine Clinics of North America, 34(4), 917–942. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emc.2016.06.013
Ginocchio, C. C., Zhang, F., Malhotra, A., Manji, R., Sillekens, P., Foolen, H., Overdyk, M., & Peeters, M. (2005). Development, technical performance, and clinical evaluation of a NucliSens basic kit application for detection of enterovirus RNA in cerebrospinal fluid. Journal of clinical microbiology, 43(6), 2616–2623. https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.43.6.2616-2623.2005
Granerod, J., & Crowcroft, N. S. (2007). The epidemiology of acute encephalitis. Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, 17(4–5), 406–428. https://doi.org/10.1080/09602010600989620
Gu, Y., Zhong, M., He, L., Li, W., Huang, Y., Liu, J., Chen, Y., & Xiao, Z. (2019). Epidemiology of antibody-positive autoimmune encephalitis in Southwest China: A multicenter study. Frontiers in Immunology, 10, 2611. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2019.02611
Hersi, K., Gonzalez, F. J., & Kondamudi, N. P. (2025). Meningitis. In StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459360/
Hidayati, O. N. (2015). Studi penggunaan antibiotika pada pasien meningitis bakterial di RSUD Dr. Soetomo Surabaya [Tesis, Universitas Airlangga]. Repositori Universitas Airlangga. http://repository.unair.ac.id/id/eprint/8937
Irianti, M. I., Andayani, T. M., & Prasetyo, B. F. (2020). Herpes simplex virus tipe 1: Prevalensi, infeksi dan penemuan obat baru. Sainstech Farma, 13(1), 21–26. https://doi.org/10.37277/sfj.v13i1.519
Kementerian Kesehatan Republik Indonesia. (2023). Radang otak. Kementerian Kesehatan RI. https://keslan.kemkes.go.id/view_artikel/2684/sebab-terjadinya-peradangan-pada-otak
Li, S., Nguyen, I. P., & Urbanczyk, K. (2020). Common infectious diseases of the central nervous system: Clinical features and imaging characteristics. Quantitative Imaging in Medicine and Surgery, 10(12), 2227–2259. https://doi.org/10.21037/qims-20-886
Meisadona, G., Soebroto, A. D., & Estiasari, R. (2015). Diagnosis dan tatalaksana meningitis bakterialis. CDK-224, 42(1), 15–19. https://media.neliti.com/media/publications/400571-diagnosis-dan-tatalaksana-meningitis-bak-97140094.pdf
Meshref, M., Nourelden, A. Z., Elshanbary, A. A., AbdelQadir, Y. H., Zaazouee, M. S., Ragab, K. M., Ahmed, E. M. S., & Swed, S. (2022). Subdural empyema due to mixed infections successfully treated medically: A case report with review of the literature. Clinical Case Reports, 10(7), e6049. https://doi.org/10.1002/ccr3.6049
Nath, A., & Billioux, B. J. (2024). Challenges in diagnosis of central nervous system infections. Thieme, 82(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0044-1779027
Oesi, F., & Nizami, N. H. (2023). Asuhan keperawatan pada pasien anak dengan meningitis. JIM FKep, 7(2), 62–69. https://jim.usk.ac.id/FKep/article/download/23758/11888
Qu, C., Chen, Y., Ouyang, Y., Huang, W., Liu, F., Yan, L., Lu, R., Zeng, Y., & Liu, Z. (2022). Metagenomics next-generation sequencing for the diagnosis of central nervous system infection: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Neurology, 13, 989280. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2022.989280
Ratnasari, I., Nur, F. T., & Riza, M. (2021). Rasio Neutrofil Limfosit untuk Membedakan Meningitis Bakterial dan Viral pada Anak. Sari Pediatri, 23(4), 222-227. https://doi.org/10.14238/sp23.4.2021.222-7
Ray, K., Chu, J., & Durrani, M. I. (2022). Subdural empyema secondary to severe paranasal sinusitis. Cureus, 14(10), e31024. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.31024
Roos, K. L., & Tyler, K. L. (2017). Harrison’s neurology in clinical medicine (3rd ed.). McGraw-Hill Education. https://neurologie.usmf.md/sites/default/files/inline-files/HARRISON.pdf
Said, S., & Kang, M. (2025). Viral encephalitis. In StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470162/
Thurnher, M. M., & Sundgren, P. C. (2020). Intracranial infection and inflammation. In J. Hodler, R. A. Kubik-Huch, & G. K. von Schulthess (Eds.), Diseases of the brain, head and neck, spine 2020–2023: Diagnostic imaging (Chap. 6). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-38490-6_6
Vinca, O. D., Kestriani, N. D., & Budipratama, D. (2020). Plasmafaresis pada pasien status epileptikus akibat ensefalitis anti-NMDAR di unit perawatan intensif. Jurnal Anestesi Perioperatif, 8(1), 56–66. https://doi.org/10.15851/jap.v8n1.1978
Yoon, J., Redmond, M., & O’Bryan, C. M. (2020). Intracranial subdural empyema: A mini review. Journal of Infectiology, 1(3), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.29245/2689-9981/2019/1.1149
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Adilah Nur Salsabila, Tisya Nasywa Ramdhini, Gede Naradhea Pramudiantara

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Jurnal Biologi Tropis is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The copyright of the received article shall be assigned to the author as the owner of the paper. The intended copyright includes the right to publish the article in various forms (including reprints). The journal maintains the publishing rights to the published articles.
Authors are permitted to disseminate published articles by sharing the link/DOI of the article at the journal. Authors are allowed to use their articles for any legal purposes deemed necessary without written permission from the journal with an acknowledgment of initial publication to this journal.
























