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Urinary antigen diagnosis of meningococcal disease

Urinary antigen diagnosis of meningococcal disease
Urinary antigen diagnosis of meningococcal disease
Meningococcal disease (MD) remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In the UK, the incidence of MD continues to rise, particularly in teenagers and young adults. At present, a number of dif ferent clinical samples may be used for the laboratory diagnosis of MD, including blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). However, blood may inhibit certain diagnostic tests and CSF is taken less often than previously. Therefore, a test is required which permits the use of a body fluid that can be obtained non-invasively and will not inhibit the test, which is both sensitive and specific for detecting meningococcal antigen.

Urine is an ideal candidate, as antigens are concentrated in this fluid and could be used for latex agglutination and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. Furthermore, urine can be obtained from patients of all ages, usually without the need for invasive procedures. A recent study on a small number of samples showed that urinary antigen diagnosis by latex agglutination was useful, but it did not pursue the possibilities of the PCR test.' Here, preliminary data on detecting meningococcal antigen in urine by both latex agglutination and PCR are presented.
Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Antigens, Bacterial/urine, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, Infant, Latex Fixation Tests, Male, Meningococcal Infections/diagnosis, Middle Aged, Neisseria meningitidis/immunology, Polymerase Chain Reaction
0967-4845
153-155
Clarke, S C
f7d7f7a2-4b1f-4b36-883a-0f967e73fb17
Clarke, S C
f7d7f7a2-4b1f-4b36-883a-0f967e73fb17

Clarke, S C (2000) Urinary antigen diagnosis of meningococcal disease. British Journal of Biomedical Science, 57 (2), 153-155.

Record type: Article

Abstract

Meningococcal disease (MD) remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In the UK, the incidence of MD continues to rise, particularly in teenagers and young adults. At present, a number of dif ferent clinical samples may be used for the laboratory diagnosis of MD, including blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). However, blood may inhibit certain diagnostic tests and CSF is taken less often than previously. Therefore, a test is required which permits the use of a body fluid that can be obtained non-invasively and will not inhibit the test, which is both sensitive and specific for detecting meningococcal antigen.

Urine is an ideal candidate, as antigens are concentrated in this fluid and could be used for latex agglutination and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. Furthermore, urine can be obtained from patients of all ages, usually without the need for invasive procedures. A recent study on a small number of samples showed that urinary antigen diagnosis by latex agglutination was useful, but it did not pursue the possibilities of the PCR test.' Here, preliminary data on detecting meningococcal antigen in urine by both latex agglutination and PCR are presented.

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More information

Published date: 2000
Keywords: Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Antigens, Bacterial/urine, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, Infant, Latex Fixation Tests, Male, Meningococcal Infections/diagnosis, Middle Aged, Neisseria meningitidis/immunology, Polymerase Chain Reaction

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 455387
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/455387
ISSN: 0967-4845
PURE UUID: 81a91cb0-9ab9-4377-8815-d2d0dc1d1644
ORCID for S C Clarke: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-7009-1548

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 21 Mar 2022 17:31
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 03:07

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