Diagnosis of pneumococcal pneumonia by detection of antigen in saliva.
A sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used for the detection of pneumococcal C polysaccharide in saliva samples from patients with radiologically verified pneumonia. In 16 of 29 patients (55%) with pneumococcal pneumonia, as verified by conventional culture methods, the antigen was present in saliva specimens. The test was negative in 35 of 36 patients (97%) with non-pneumococcal pneumonia and in all saliva samples from a control group, consisting of 25 patients with no signs of respiratory disease. It is concluded that the detection of pneumococcal C polysaccharide in saliva offers a valuable complement to conventional diagnostic methods for pneumococcal pneumonia.
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D011018:Pneumonia, Pneumococcal / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology*
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; C027158:polysaccharide C-substance (Streptococcus)