II. Indications
- Rarely used now (See CSF PCR which is preferred)
- Suspected Bacterial Meningitis with negative tests
III. Advantages
- Results available in 20 minutes
IV. Efficacy
- Test Specificity: High
-
Test Sensitivity: Low overall (does not rule-out Bacterial Meningitis)
- HaemophilusInfluenzae Type B: 60-100%
- Low sensitivity for Neisseria Meningitidis
- Low sensitivity in most other Bacterial Meningitis
V. Preparations: Antigens tested
- Haemophilus Influenzae type B
- Streptococcus Pneumoniae
- Escherichia coli K1
- Neisseria Meningitidis Groups A, B, C, Y
- Group B Streptococcus
- Streptococcus agalactiae
VI. References
- Kooiker in Roberts (1998) Procedures in ER, p. 1067-75
- Ravel (1995) Lab Medicine, Mosby, p. 294-9
- Tunkel in Mandell (2000) Infectious Disease, p. 974-8
- Seehusen (2003) Am Fam Physician 68:1103-8 [PubMed]