Limitations in the use of counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE) for diagnosis of Haemophilus influenzae type b meningitis

Authors

  • Lucila O. Fukasawa Instituto Adolfo Lutz
  • Maristela M. Salgado Instituto Adolfo Lutz
  • Maria Gisele Gonçalves Instituto Adolfo Lutz
  • Anna Vera Custódio Instituto Adolfo Lutz
  • Terezinha P. Araújo Instituto Adolfo Lutz
  • Telma R. M. P. Carvalhanas Centro de Vigilância Epidemiológica
  • Ricardo K. M. Albernaz Centro de Vigilância Epidemiológica
  • Joana D'Arc P. Reis Coordenação Geral dos Laboratórios de Saúde Pública. Ministério da Saúde
  • Maria Irene Weyl A. Costa Coordenação Geral dos Laboratórios de Saúde Pública. Ministério da Saúde.
  • Claudio T. Sacchi Instituto Adolfo Lutz

Keywords:

Haemophilus influenzae b, Counterimmunoelectrophoresis, Cross-reaction, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Bacterial meningitis

Abstract

 In Brazil, counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE) is a widely used laboratory method for bacterial meningitis diagnosis caused by Neisseria meningitidis (Men) serogroups A, B and C and Haemophilus influenzae (Hi) type b since 1970´s. With the introduction of real-time PCR (RT-PCR) assay at Instituto Adolfo Lutz routine diagnosis of meningitis caused by Men, Hi and Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn), discrepant results between these two methodologies were found. In this work we investigated 46 cases with CIE positive results for Hib. Our main goal was to determine the ratio of Hib false positive results by CIE. For comparisons, we used RT-PCR method, latex agglutination test and culture when available. Among the 46 CIE Hib positive samples, 26 (57%) were false positive: 21 (46%) samples were Spn positives and 5 (11%) samples were negatives for Spn and Hib by both latex and RT-PCR methods. Our results show a high percentage of false positive results by CIE regarding Hib detection in CSF and sera samples. We recommend using latex agglutination or RTPCR rather than CIE for Hib determination or a second test confirmation for Hib CIE positive samples.

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References

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Published

2010-04-30

How to Cite

1.
O. Fukasawa L, M. Salgado M, Gisele Gonçalves M, Custódio AV, P. Araújo T, R. M. P. Carvalhanas T, K. M. Albernaz R, P. Reis JD, Weyl A. Costa MI, T. Sacchi C. Limitations in the use of counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE) for diagnosis of Haemophilus influenzae type b meningitis. Bepa [Internet]. 2010 Apr. 30 [cited 2024 Jul. 22];7(76):4-12. Available from: https://periodicos.saude.sp.gov.br/BEPA182/article/view/38516

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