The microscopic agglutination test (MAT) is an unreliable predictor of infecting Leptospira serovar in Thailand

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2009 Oct;81(4):695-7. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.2009.09-0252.

Abstract

A prospective study in Thailand identified 106 patients with culture-proven leptospirosis. The accuracy of the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) in predicting the infecting serovar was evaluated in 78/106 (74%) patients with a diagnostic titer. MAT correctly determined the infecting serovar in 26 cases (33%), indicating that this assay is a poor predictor of infecting serovar in our setting.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Agglutination Tests / methods*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Leptospira / classification*
  • Leptospirosis / diagnosis*
  • Leptospirosis / epidemiology
  • Leptospirosis / microbiology*
  • Male
  • Microscopy / methods*
  • Middle Aged
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Thailand / epidemiology
  • Young Adult