SENSITIVITY AND SPECIFICITY OF A LATEX AGGLUTINATION-TEST FOR DETECTION OF CRYPTOCOCCAL ANTIGEN IN MENINGITIS

  • 18 April 1987
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 71  (8) , 510-512
Abstract
A crytococcal latex agglutination test (Crypto-La; International Biological Laboratories, Canbury, New Jersey, USA) was evaluated for its ability to detect cryptococcal antigen in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens obtained from black patients with a clinical diagnosis of meningitis. Of the 445 Gram-stained and bacterial culture-negative CSF specimens routinely tested for cryptococcal antigen, 34 (7,6%) were positive. With the exception of 1 false-positive result, the remaining 33 specimens were obtained from 12 patients in whom the diagnosis of cryptococcal meningitis was confirmed by the isolation of Cryptococcus neoformans. The Crypto-La test gave false-positive results on 1% (4/384) of control CSF specimens and 22% (10) of sera tested. The ethylene-diaminetetra-acetic heat-extraction method proved reliable in eliminating false-positives and nonspecific agglutination reactions in CSF and serum specimens.