This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Wu, T C Articles by Koo, S Y Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Wu, T C Articles by Koo, S Y

Comparison of three commercial cryptococcal latex kits for detection of cryptococcal antigen.

ABSTRACT

Three commercial latex kits, IBL, MYCO-Immune, and IMMY, for the detection of cryptococcal antigen were compared in regard to sensitivity, specificity, and height of antigen titers. A total of 218 cerebrospinal fluid and 79 serum specimens from 239 patients were included. Twenty-two patients had culture-proven disseminated cryptococcosis. Both the IBL and MYCO-Immune kits had sensitivities of 100%, and the IMMY kit had sensitivities of 82.6 and 45.4% in CSF and serum specimens, respectively. There was one false-positive reaction in serum with the MYCO-Immune kit and one false-negative reaction on screen only with all three kits. Rheumatoid factor-containing sera were used to check the agglutination titers between matching anti-cryptococcal globulin reagents and normal globulin reagents. The finding that agglutination titer with anti-cryptococcal globulin reagents was fourfold higher than with normal globulin reagents in the MYCO-Immune kit is considered to be a cause for a false-positive reaction in serum.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• McFadden, D. C., Zaragoza, O., Casadevall, A. (2004). Immunoreactivity of Cryptococcal Antigen Is Not Stable under Prolonged Incubations in Human Serum. J. Clin. Microbiol. 42: 2786-2788 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Yeo, S. F., Wong, B. (2002). Current Status of Nonculture Methods for Diagnosis of Invasive Fungal Infections. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 15: 465-484 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Lai, K. K., Rosenberg, A. E. (1999). Case 19-1999- A 55-Year-Old Man with a Destructive Bone Lesion 17 Months after Liver Transplantation. NEJM 340: 1981-1988 [Full Text]