Delve Detect Enables Neurologists to Treat CNS Infections When Conventional Testing Fails

Key Takeaways

• Delve Detect outperformed standard CNS panels, identifying extra pathogens
• Case study: toddler’s HSV‑1 infection detected after conventional tests failed
• Multicenter series showed brain‑abscess diagnoses without invasive biopsy
• Results delivered within a day, with expert microbial board review
• Delve Bio to present findings at AAN 2026, boosting visibility

Pulse Analysis

Central nervous system infections such as encephalitis, ventriculitis and brain abscesses demand swift, accurate diagnosis, yet traditional culture and multiplex PCR often return negative or incomplete results. Metagenomic next‑generation sequencing (mNGS) offers an unbiased, pathogen‑agnostic approach, scanning cerebrospinal fluid for bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic DNA. By delivering comprehensive data within 24 hours, Delve Detect addresses the critical time pressure neurologists face, potentially shifting patients from empirical, trial‑and‑error therapy to targeted treatment before irreversible damage occurs.

In recent retrospective and prospective studies, Delve Detect demonstrated strong concordance with established syndromic panels while revealing organisms those panels missed, including co‑infections. A highlighted case involved a previously healthy toddler whose initial tests failed to detect HSV‑1, leading to inappropriate immunotherapy. Once Delve Detect identified the virus, antiviral treatment was reinstated, resulting in rapid clinical improvement. Similarly, a multicenter case series showed the test pinpointed pathogens in patients with culture‑negative ventriculitis and brain abscesses, eliminating the need for invasive brain biopsies and enabling precise antimicrobial selection.

The implications for the diagnostics market are significant. Investors have already backed Delve Bio with capital from GV and Section 32, reflecting confidence in mNGS’s commercial potential. As hospitals seek to curb the high costs associated with prolonged ICU stays and unnecessary procedures, a fast, comprehensive test like Delve Detect could become a new standard of care. Wider adoption may also spur reimbursement pathways and stimulate competition, accelerating innovation across the infectious‑disease testing landscape.