title: Comparison of commercial diagnostic tests for identification of serogroup antigens of Neisseria meningitidis.
abstract: In the study that is described the sensitivities and specificities of three commercial tests and the standard Reference Laboratory test, used since 1961, to identify Neisseria meningitidis serogroups were compared. The tests marketed by Difco, Murex/Wellcome, and Sanofi/Pasteur showed overall sensitivities of 92, 95, and 100%, respectively, and specificities of 67, 88, and 82%, respectively. When limited to the common serogroups A, B, and C, the three tests yielded sensitivities of 93, 97, and 100%, respectively, and specificities of 98, 100, and 98%, respectively. However, determination of the uncommon serogroups X, W-135, Y, Z, and 29E with these tests is either unreliable or not possible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van der Ende
authors.forename: I G
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Schuurman
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Hopman
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Fijen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dankert
mesh_terms: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002353:Carrier State / Q000382:microbiology; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000382:microbiology; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012703:Serotyping / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial