title: Prospective evaluation of bacterial antigen detection in cerebral spinal fluid in the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis in a predominantly adult hospital.
abstract: The results of all CSF latex agglutination (LA) tests performed in a large predominantly adult hospital over 1 yr are reviewed. Eight cases of bacterial meningitis were recognized during this time, and of these only three were due to organisms detectable by commercially available LA kits. In one case, the LA was uninterpretable, and in the second the LA was not performed because less than 5 x 10(6) WBC/L were seen in the CSF. In the third case the Gram stain was positive. No cases of partially treated meningitis were diagnosed. In this setting, the LA test did not contribute significantly to patient management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, St. Boniface General Hospital, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Forward
mesh_terms: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D002452:Cell Count; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests; D008581:Meningitis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000276:immunology; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial