EFFICACY OF IMMUNOGLOBULIN-M SERODIAGNOSTIC TEST FOR RAPID DIAGNOSIS OF ACUTE BABESIOSIS

To evaluate the efficacy of an immunoglobulin hi indirect immunofluore scent-antibody procedure for diagnosing acute babesiosis, we tested pa tients with acute babesiosis from a site in New England where the dise ase is enzootic. The sensitivity of the test was 91%, the specificity was 99%, the positive predictive value was 86%, and the negative predi ctive value was 99%. This B. microti immunoglobulin M indirect immunsf luorescent-antibody procedure is sufficiently sensitive, specific, and reproducible for use in the routine clinical diagnosis of acute babes iosis.