COMPARISON OF 2 RAPID COMMERCIAL TESTS WITH COMPLEMENT-FIXATION FOR SEROLOGIC DIAGNOSIS OF MYCOPLASMA-PNEUMONIAE INFECTIONS

The complement fixation (CF) test is the current reference serologic t est for the diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection. However, it is reported to be insensitive and nonspecific, and it is labor intensi ve. To determine if a faster and more sensitive diagnosis of M. pneumo niae could be obtained, we examined 50 paired serum samples from patie nts with suspected M. pneumoniae infection by the CF test and two comm ercial sapid antibody detection kits, the Remel M. pneumoniae immunogl obulin G (IgG)-IgM antibody test system (Remel, Lenexa, Kans.) and the Seradyn Color Vue M. pneumoniae IgG-IgM kit (Seradyn, Indianapolis; I nd.). The Remel test, a 5-min qualitative immunobinding assay, detecte d antibodies in three patient serum samples with CF titers of 32 and i n all but one sample with titers of greater than or equal to 64. The S eradyn test, a 40-min qualitative agglutination test, was less sensiti ve than CF or Remel. The Seradyn test was positive in 68% of cases, co mpared with 94 and 96% of cases tested by CF or Remel, respectively. B oth commercial tests are faster and less technically demanding to perf orm than is the CF test.