EVALUATION OF THE HEMAGGLUTINATION REACTION IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF ACTIVE TUBERCULOSIS

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Abstract
Among 251 patients with nontuberculous diseases, mostly acute infections, hemagglutinins were present in the sera of 123 (50%) and in 24 (10%) the hemagglutination reaction was present in a titer of 1:8 or higher. In 31 (57%) of 54 patients with active tuberculosis, the reaction was positive in a titer of 1:8 or higher. Of 39 patients with moderately or far advanced pulmonary tuberculosis, 29 (75%) were found to have hemag-glutinins in a titer of at least 1:6. In contrast, the reaction was negative in the sera of 10 patients with active tuberculosis. In patients with tuberculous meningitis, pericarditis and pleurisy with effusion, the reaction was negative or positive only in low titers, in most instances. These results are in fair agreement with the observations of Smith but are at variance with those of Rothbard. Rothbard obtained positive reactions in a titer 1:8 or higher in 92% of 168 patients with active tuberculosis and negative reactions in 31 of 33 patients with arrested pulmonary tuberculosis. Of 216 persons who were healthy or who had various nontuberculous diseases, negative reactions were obtained in 203; and in the other 13, the reaction titers were 1:2, 1:4. The authors feel that the test was of little practical aid in diagnosis since Mycobacterium tuberculosis could be readily demonstrated in the sputum of most of the patients with high agglutination titers, and positive reactions (1:8 or higher) occurred in 10% of persons with nontuberculous conditions.

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