LATEX AGGLUTINATION FOR RAPID DETECTION OF PSEUDOMONAS-PSEUDOMALLEI ANTIGEN IN URINE OF PATIENTS WITH MELIOIDOSIS

A latex agglutination test for the detection of Pseudomonas pseudomall ei antigen in urine was evaluated for the rapid diagnosis of melioidos is. With unconcentrated urine, antigen was detected in only 18% of pat ients with melioidosis overall. However, when urine was concentrated 1 00-fold, antigen was detected in 47% overall and in 67% of patients wi th septicaemia or disseminated infection, in whom a rapid diagnosis is most important. The specificity of the test was 100%. These results c ompared favourably with an enzyme immunoassay. This latex agglutinatio n test is a simple, rapid and highly specific method of diagnosing mel iodosis, and will be particularly useful in areas with limited laborat ory facilities.