Evaluation of Bactogen and Phadebact for detection of Haemophilus influenzae type b antigen in cerebrospinal fluid

Abstract

Latex agglutination and coagglutination tests are commercially available as Bactogen and the Phadebact Haemophilus Test, respectively. Both were evaluated for the detection of H. influenzae type b in CSF. Both tests were positive in all of 51 culture-positive cases of meningitis caused by H. influenzae. Both were more sensitive than counterimmunoelectrophoresis. Antigen was also detected by Bactogen in 7 of 7 additional CSF specimens (compared with 4 of 7 by Phadebact) after 1-15 days of antimicrobial therapy. The CSF of infants with meningitis owing to other common causative agents did not react with Bactogen or Phadebact. The CSF of 1 patient with overwhelming infection owing to Proteus mirabilis reacted positively with Bactogen. Cost analysis revealed that Phadebact was less expensive to perform than Bactogen.