Latex agglutination test versus blood culture technique in diagnosis of neonatal sepsis

This study was done on 50 neonates diagnosed clinically and hematologically as suspetted sephis in to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of latex particle agglutination test [LPA] for rapid detection of bacterial antigen in sera in relation to blood culture technique. The most common hematological abnormality detected was the H.S.S. > 3.0 in 90% of cases. Microbiological results revealed that E. coli and Klebsiella were the most common organisms. E. coli accounted for [28%] of the cases, Klebsiella accounted for [24%] of cases and mixed infection by both organisms in [12%] of cases. The LPA test of E. coli gave positive reactions in 95% of patients with E. coli positive cultures while it gave positive reaction in 2 cases with negative blood cuItures and this elevate the sensitivity of the test up to 99%. The LPA tests of Streptococcus group B [SGB], Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis gave negative reactions