ABSTRACT
Sera from 1,167 individuals were tested for antibody to Neisseria gonorrhoeae by use of five different serologic tests. These were complement fixation, the indirect fluorescent antibody test, Gonosticon Dri-Dot, fluorescent gonorrhea test-heated, and gonorrhea screen test. Parallel cultures of material from the throat, urethra, cervix, and rectum were also done. The results were analyzed by a technique intended to separate test effects from population effects. Test specificities ranged from 81.3% for the Dri-Dot test to 96.1% for the indirect fluorescent antibody test. Sensitivities ranged from 55.6% for the Dri-Dot test to 81.5% for the fluorescent gonorrhea test-heated.
Subject(s)
Antibodies, Bacterial , Gonorrhea/diagnosis , Neisseria gonorrhoeae/immunology , Serologic Tests , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Complement Fixation Tests , Female , Flocculation Tests , Fluorescent Antibody Technique , Humans , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
A commercially available instrument that automatically makes serial dilutions and delivers reagents was used for the determination of antistreptolysin O titers in serum. The automated method was compared with tube-dilution and manual microtitration techniques. It gave higher reproducibility of results and was quicker to perform than both the other tests; and it was much more economical in reagents than the tube test. The automated technique is considered to be the best of the three methods when more than a small number of specimens are examined at one time. It is now in routine use in our laboratory.