L. Millon et al., INTERFERENCE BY HYDROXYETHYL STARCH USED FOR VASCULAR FILLING IN LATEX AGGLUTINATION-TEST FOR CRYPTOCOCCAL ANTIGEN, Journal of clinical microbiology, 33(7), 1995, pp. 1917-1919
The glucuronoxylomannan component of the Cryptococcus neoformans capsu
lar polysaccharide confers serotype specificity, and its detection in
cerebrospinal fluid or serum by the latex agglutination test is used f
or diagnosis. Low-molecular-weight hydroxyethyl starches can be used a
s an alternative to albumin for vascular filling. This study reports t
he occurrence of a false-positive result with the Pastorex Cryptococcu
s test (Sanofi Diagnostics Pasteur, Marnes la Coquette, France) for a
patient receiving hydroxyethyl starch characterized by a substitution
ratio of 0.6 (Elohes, Biosedra, Sevres, France).