Cerebrospinal latex agglutination fails to contribute to the microbiologic diagnosis of pretreated children with meningitis

Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2004 Aug;23(8):786-8. doi: 10.1097/01.inf.0000135679.98790.14.

Abstract

We conducted a 10-year retrospective study of all children who had cerebrospinal fluid latex agglutination testing for bacterial antigens performed at 1 tertiary care urban children's hospital. Of the 176 patients with culture-negative meningitis who were pretreated with antibiotics before lumbar puncture, none had a positive latex agglutination study (0 of 176; 95% confidence interval, 0-2%). Latex agglutination studies identified no additional cases of bacterial meningitis beyond those identified by culture in pretreated patients. Clinical decision-making algorithms for the management of pretreated patients at risk for bacterial meningitis should not include latex agglutination testing.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Algorithms
  • Cerebrospinal Fluid / immunology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Decision Making
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Latex Fixation Tests
  • Male
  • Meningitis, Bacterial / diagnosis*
  • Meningitis, Bacterial / immunology
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors