title: [Contribution of the "limulus test" to the diagnosis of endotoxemias and meningitis due to gram negative bacteria].
abstract: The "limulus test" may be used to detect the endotoxins of Gram negative organisms. Applied to the cerebrospinal fluid (79 specimens from 64 patients) it proved itself to be a very important contribution to the differential diagnosis of purulent meningitis (95% positive results, no false positives). However it can be used on the plasma only in patients with shock of suspected endotoxic origin.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001181:Arthropods; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006737:Horseshoe Crabs; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008581:Meningitis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D014115:Toxemia / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D004731:Endotoxins
vernacular_title: Apport du "test limule" au diagnostic des endotoxinémies et des méningites à germes Gram-négatif