Assessment of a rapid method of pneumococcal antigen detection in routine sputum bacteriology

Sputum samples were obtained from 60 outpatients and inpatients admitted to Ain Shams University Hospitals with chest troubles as pneumonia, bronchopneumonia, acute bronchitis, asthmatic bronchitis and chronic bronchitis. Some of them [29] were collected before administration of treatment for at least 7 days before admission the other [31] were collected after initiation of treatment. Each group included different ages and sexes and examined thoroughly clinically and radiologically. Sputa of each group were examined by three method for detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae which is the cause of the most fatal chest diseases. These methods were Gram film, culture and latex agglutination test for pneumococcal antigen detection. In the first group the highest positive results were obtained by Gram film 69% while culture and antigen detection were apparently equal% 55In the second group the highest positive results were obtained by antigen detection latex agglutination test 80.6%, Gram film was positive in 51.6% and culture was positive in only 32.2%. As regard susceptibility of pneumococci to different penicillin generations we found that it is still the drug of choice for the treatment of pneumococcal infections