title: Rapid diagnosis of invasive pneumococcal disease in pediatric population.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the Binax NOW immunochromatographic pneumococcal antigen test for the identification of Streptococcus pneumoniae in pleural and cerebrospinal fluids from children with suspected invasive pneumococcal disease. The results were compared with those obtained by PCR. Binax NOW was applied to these samples as recommended by the manufacturer for urine and cerebrospinal samples. Detection of pneumococcal DNA was performed by real-time PCR assay targeting the autolysin gene (lytA). Of the 199 samples analyzed, 131 were positive by both Binax NOW and lytA PCR, and 36 samples were negative by both techniques. Using the real-time PCR as a comparative method to the Binax for the detection of S. pneumoniae, the sensitivity and specificity of Binax NOW was 88% and 72.5%, respectively. Of the 145 positive samples analyzed by Binax NOW, 119 showed intense coloring of the sample line and 26 showed weak intensity. Conventional culture is the most common method in clinical settings, but Binax NOW is an easier and faster test for identifying S. pneumoniae in pleural and cerebrospinal fluids from children with suspected invasive pneumococcal disease.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, c/ Martín Lagos s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan Jose
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Picazo
authors.forename: Jesús Ruiz
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Contreras
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ríos
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Culebras
authors.forename: Iciar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Avial
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Méndez
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Betriu
mesh_terms: D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000382:microbiology; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity / Q000379:methods*; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000382:microbiology; D011018:Pneumonia, Pneumococcal / Q000175:diagnosis*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification*