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Capsular Serotyping of Streptococcus pneumoniae by Latex Agglutination
09:11

Capsular Serotyping of Streptococcus pneumoniae by Latex Agglutination

Published on: September 25, 2014

Bacteriological study of pyogenic meningitis with special reference to latex agglutination

G Viswanath1, Praveen, A R Hanumanthappa

  • 1Department of Microbiology, J. J. M. Medical College, Davangere. baja@sir.no

Indian Journal of Pathology & Microbiology
|May 4, 2007
PubMed

Insights

This study found Gram stain and latex agglutination tests highly sensitive for diagnosing bacterial meningitis in children. These rapid methods are reliable for identifying pyogenic meningitis from cerebrospinal fluid samples.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Clinical Microbiology

Background:

  • Bacterial meningitis is a severe and common childhood illness.
  • Accurate and rapid diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment.
  • Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis is key in diagnosing meningitis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of pyogenic meningitis in children at a specific hospital.
  • To evaluate the diagnostic sensitivity of Gram stain, C-reactive protein (CRP) test, and latex agglutination for pyogenic meningitis using CSF samples.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of 150 CSF samples from pediatric patients.
  • Microbiological examination including Gram stain, latex agglutination, and culture.
  • Assessment of C-reactive protein (CRP) levels.

Main Results:

  • 40 out of 150 CSF samples were diagnosed with pyogenic meningitis.
  • Haemophilus influenzae was the most common pathogen (22.5%), followed by Streptococcus pneumoniae (15%).
  • Gram stain and latex agglutination showed 90% sensitivity; CRP test had 62.5% sensitivity. Culture positivity was 62.5% due to prior treatment.

Conclusions:

  • Gram stain and latex agglutination are rapid, reliable diagnostic tests for pyogenic meningitis.
  • These methods offer high sensitivity for prompt identification of bacterial meningitis in pediatric patients.
  • Early empirical treatment can impact culture positivity rates in meningitis diagnostics.

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