Rapid diagnosis of bacterial meningitis by latex agglutination test.

Forty-three patients admitted to Abassia Fever Hospital suffering from meningitis were studied. They were 27 male and 16 female and divided into 3 age groups, as a control, 4 normal CSF samples were collected. A sterile CSF was collected and examined for pressure, aspect, glucose, protein and cellular content. Although all these tests were helpful in differentiating the type of meningitis, a remarkable overlap between the results were detected. Bacteriological study of CSF showed that bacterial culture was more sensitive than the Gram-stained film in (80% and 72% respectively) (p less than 0.05). However, it is a time consuming and its results greatly affected by prior uses of antibiotics. Also the antigen of N. meningitidis A & C, H. influenzae and S. pneumoniae were detected by latex agglutination (L.A.) and gave positive results in 76% of cases. It was less sensitive than the culture method. As a conclusion, L.A. test is a rapid and simple method of diagnosis of bacterial meningitis which give immediate information to the clinician. The sensitivity and specificity of L.A. can be greatly improved by using a higher quality of antibody for all serotypes in the locality.