Assessment of a commonly available latex particle agglutination test in rapid, bacteriologic cerebrospinal fluid diagnosis

36 cerebrospinal fluid specimens (CSF) from patients with bacterial meningitis were tested for the presence of bacterial antigens with the "Slidex Meningite Kit" (Bio Merieux). This kit has latex particles coated with antibodies against hemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) streptococcus pneumoniae (SP) and neisseria meningitidis (NM) group A and C. With the LAT we could detect the bacterial antigens in 84% of bacterial meningitis cases, 23 of the 27 of Hib meningitis (85.2%), all of the 6 cases of SP meningitis (100%) and two of the three NM meningitis cases. The test is handicapped by the fact, that there is no antiserum against NM sero-group B, the main cause of NM meningitis in Austria. There were no false positive results with the LAT. False negative results were obtained in 19.2% of Hib and in one case of NM. Even under sufficient antibiotic therapy and with negative culture we could detect 9 Hib- and 1 NM-cases during the first 12-48 hours of therapy with this method. The LAT-Kit is a useful addition to standard methods of CSF examinations in bacterial meningitis. With the LAT a rapid bacteriological diagnosis is possible within 15 minutes. The Kit is also able to identify bacterial antigens even with negative culture and after initiation of antibiotic treatment.