Rapid laboratory diagnosis of bacterial meningitis employing coagglutination test

Twenty samples of CSF, 11 from proven meningitis with positive culture and nine negative controls were examined. Ten cases (91%) of meningitis, six caused by Haemophilus influenzae, three by Streptococcus pneumoniae and one by Neisseria meningitidis have been diagnosed by the coagglutination method. Using the Phadebact CSF kit, the test was negative, in one (9%) meningitis case, which was caused by Str. pneumoniae. Subsequently all cases of meningitis were confirmed by isolation of the organisms in CSF culture. None of the nine control CSF gave a positive reaction with coagglutination test or positive culture. The coagglutination test is simple, rapid and requires no special equipment.