Comparison of conventional bacteriological methods with latex agglutination technique for the diagnosis of pyogenic meningitis in children

ABSTRACT

A total of 41 cases of pyogenic meningitis were studied to compare the Gram-staining method with latex agglutination technique by taking the culture as a "Gold standard test. Gram-staining was positive in 26 [63.41%], culture in 19 [46.34%] and latex agglutination in 27 [65.85%] cases. The commonest aetiological agent was Streptococcus pneumoniae, identified from 15 [36.5%] cases. In 3 [7.5%] cases, no aetiological agent was identified. Forty six percent of the patients had received antibiotic therapy before their admission. The comparison was done for sensitivity, specificity and efficiency of the tests. The sensitivity, specificity and efficiency of Gram-staining was 84.2, 54.5 and 68.2 percent, and latex agglutination was 100, 13.6, 36.6 percent, respectively