Evaluation of the campyslide agglutination test for confirmatory identification of selected Campylobacter species

The utility of a rapid latex slide agglutination test (Campyslide; BBL Microbiology Systems, Cockeysville, Md.) in detecting selected Campylobacter spp. was evaluated and compared with that of conventional identification methods. Isolated colonies suggestive of Campylobacter spp. were tested directly from primary selective media after incubation at 42 degrees C under microaerophilic conditions. Stock cultures of Campylobacter jejuni (n = 27) and C. coli (n = 3) were correctly confirmed to the genus level by latex agglutination when tested in pure cultures or isolated from seeded human feces. A total of 50 fresh clinical isolates of Campylobacter spp. (45 C. jejuni and 5 C. coli) were examined, with complete agreement observed between the latex test and conventional methods. Of 173 non-Campylobacter isolates tested from primary plates, only 1 rough strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa produced a false-positive result. Although the manufacturer recommends a 30-min antigen extraction, 1 or 5 min was found to be sufficient. Also, confirmation could be achieved within 24 h of inoculation of clinical specimens, 2 days earlier than with conventional methods.