PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - S I Dirks-Go
AU  - H C Zanen
TI  - Latex agglutination, counterimmunoelectrophoresis, and protein A co-agglutination in diagnosis of bacterial meningitis.
AID  - 10.1136/jcp.31.12.1167
DP  - 1978 Dec 01
TA  - Journal of Clinical Pathology
PG  - 1167--1171
VI  - 31
IP  - 12
4099  - http://jcp.bmj.com/content/31/12/1167.short
4100  - http://jcp.bmj.com/content/31/12/1167.full
SO  - J Clin Pathol1978 Dec 01; 31
AB  - Specimens of cerebrospinal fluid from 201 patients with meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis groups A/B/C/135, Streptococcus pneumoniae (23 types), and Haemophilus influenzae type b were tested for the presence of specific bacterial antigens by latex agglutination, counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE), and protein A co-agglutination. Specific antigens were found in 75% of the specimens by latex agglutination and CIE, and in 60% of the specimens by protein A co-agglutination. Non-specific reactions in protein A co-agglutination were prevented by heating the specimens to 100 degrees C for a few minutes. The three methods are simple and quick to perform. The smallest amount of antiserum was used in protein A co-agglutination, but we found this method less sensitive. Latex agglutination and CIE proved to be equally sensitive, but the first method was easier to adopt in practice.