Abstract
The presence of pneumococcal antigen in middle ear exudates during acute otitis media [human] was studied by latex agglutination and counterimmunoelectrophoresis. The positive antigen findings were confirmed by radioimmunoassay. Latex agglutination gave a positive result in 63% and counterimmunoelectrophoresis in 76% of samples that grew Streptococcus pneumoniae. The methods were complementary; the antigen was detected by 1 or both of the methods in 88% of these samples. Pneumococcal antigen was further detected in 15% of samples that grew other otitis pathogens, and in 33% of samples in which no pathogenic bacteria were recovered by culture. The distribution of pneumococcal serotypes found by immunochemical methods only corresponded to that found by culture.

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