Rapid diagnosis of bacterial meningitis by coagglutination
Nadarajah, M.; Sivakumaran, S.; Chong, O.K.
Singapore Medical Journal 25(5): 324-326
1984
ISSN/ISBN: 0037-5675 PMID: 6523140 Document Number: 237642
Specimens (75) of CSF from patients with a history of meningitis were cultured as well as tested for the presence of antigens of 4 microorganisms, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae type b, Neisseria meningitidis, and group B streptococci. Five specimens of CSF were culture positive, S. pneumoniae was isolated from 4 specimens and group B streptococci from 1 specimen. While coagglutionation were positive in 16 specimens, 12 of the specimens were positive for S. pneumoniae and 4 specimens were positive for group B streptococci antigens showing a distinct advantage of the coagglutionation technique over culture as the etiology was determined in more number of meningitis patients. There were no positive results by culture as well as coagglutionation for H. influenzae and N. meningitidis.