Rapid identification of Burkholderia pseudomallei in blood cultures by latex agglutination using lipopolysaccharide-specific monoclonal antibody

Melioidosis, an infection caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, is endemic i n Southeast Asia. The septicemic form of melioidosis is the leading cause o f death due to community-acquired bacteremia in the northeastern part of Th ailand. The delay in isolation and identification of the causative organism is a major contributing factor to the high mortality. The present study de scribes the evaluation of a latex agglutination test for rapid identificati on of the bacteria directly from blood cultures. The Bps-L1 monoclonal anti body recognized the lipopolysaccharide antigen of 96.8% of B. pseudomallei clinical isolates and was highly specific for B. pseudomallei. The diagnost ic Value of the latex agglutination test based on Bps-L1 monoclonal antibod y was prospectively evaluated in an area endemic for melioidosis. The agglu tination test kit was evaluated in 88 blood cultures with gram-negative bac teria identified with Gram staining. The sensitivity and specificity of the test kit were both 100%. These results indicated that the detection of B. pseudomallei lipopolysaccharide by specific monoclonal antibody in a latex agglutination format is clinically useful for the rapid identification of t he bacteria in blood cultures in areas endemic for melioidosis.