Evaluation of detection of C-reactive protein by latex agglutination in diagnosis of meningitis

ABSTRACT

C-reactive [C-RP] determinations were performed by the latex slide agglutination test on cerebrospinal fluid [CSF], serum of 20 patients with symptoms and signs of cerebrospinal meningitis while the quantitiative estimation of CRP was done by an immunodiffusion methods. Serum CRP was low less than 6 mg/1 in all control patients. There was a significant increase of serum CRP in 13 of 14 patients with bacterial meningitis with a mean of 103 mg/1. In 4 of 6 patients, values were lower less than 6 mg/1, 2 patients had values of 66 and 71 mg/1. The CRP latex agglutination test was able to detect bacterial meningitis with a sensitivity of 93% [13 of 14], a specificity of 67% [4 of 6], a positive predictive value of 87% [13 of 15], and a negative predictive value of 80% [4 of 5]. CRP determination performed on CSF, serum useful and rapid clinical tests for exclusion of the presence of bacterial meningitis in a patient