title: Enzyme immunoassay versus latex agglutination cryptococcal antigen assays in adults with non-HIV-related cryptococcosis.
abstract: We compared paired enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and latex agglutination (LA) assay results with 185 blood and 164 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 44 and 33 non-HIV cryptococcosis patients, respectively. The LA assay cutoff of 1:256 in the blood and 1:32 in the CSF was most highly predictive of a positive EIA result. The EIA missed 18.4% detected by the LA assay in the blood samples and 7.8% detected by the LA assay in the CSF samples. We note here the improved sensitivity of the LA assay over the EIA in non-HIV patients.
authors.affiliation: Translational Mycology Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, F. Hèbert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), Bethesda, Maryland, USA anil.panackal@nih.gov.
authors.forename: Anil A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Panackal
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Service, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dekker
authors.affiliation: Biostatistics Research Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Proschan
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Informatics Development, Biomedical Translational Research Information System, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beri
authors.affiliation: Translational Mycology Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Peter R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Williamson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000382:microbiology; D003453:Cryptococcosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity