[A case report of pneumococcal pneumonia diagnosed by urinary antigen]

Using a kit for the rapid detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae, we examined 3 clinical cases, clearly diagnosed as pneumococcal pneumonia. Case 1 was a 63-year-old man hospitalized for right middle lobular pneumonia. Streptococcus pneumoniae was detected by blood culture initiated on the day of admission. His urine sample was found to have Streptococcus pneumoniae antigen at hospital day 4, and positive test results were observed 3 times thereafter. The other 2 cases had negative sputum and blood cultures, but they were positive for urine antigen, with clinical courses consistent with those of pneumococcal pneumonia. The kit used was determined to provide a test result within 15 min for each urine sample, and it was easy to perform. Thus, this kit is expected to serve as a very useful clinical tool.