Niemhom S, Petchclai B, Pupaibul K, Waropastrakul C
Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
J Med Assoc Thai. 1990 Jan;73(1):12-5.
There is a growing demand for laboratory diagnosis of cryptococcal meningitis, which is partly due to the increasing incidence of AIDS in Thailand. Presently, latex cryptococcal agglutination test (LCAT) is the most sensitive and specific test for laboratory cryptococcal meningitis. However, the test is very expensive and not readily available. LCAT must be developed locally to meet the need in Thailand. Rabbit antibody to C. neoformans was raised and used to sensitize latex particles used in LCAT. The developed LCAT was compared with a reference LCAT. The locally made LCAT was almost identical to the reference LCAT in sensitivity and specificity. It was extensively compared with the culture and India ink examination, in 73 cerebrospinal fluid specimens from cryptococcal meningitis and 155 specimens from other diseases. LCAT was found specific and more sensitive than fungal culture and India ink examination. LCAT is now extensively used in Thailand and recommended by Thai experts for use in all general hospitals. It is a simple, sensitive, specific, rapid and inexpensive tool for both diagnosis, prognosis and follow-up of cryptococcal meningitis.
对隐球菌性脑膜炎进行实验室诊断的需求日益增长，部分原因是泰国艾滋病发病率不断上升。目前，乳胶隐球菌凝集试验（LCAT）是实验室诊断隐球菌性脑膜炎最敏感、特异的检测方法。然而，该检测非常昂贵且不易获得。必须在泰国本地开发LCAT以满足需求。制备了抗新型隐球菌的兔抗体，并用于致敏LCAT中使用的乳胶颗粒。将开发的LCAT与参考LCAT进行比较。自制的LCAT在敏感性和特异性方面与参考LCAT几乎相同。在73份来自隐球菌性脑膜炎的脑脊液标本和155份来自其他疾病的标本中，将其与培养和墨汁负染检查进行了广泛比较。发现LCAT具有特异性，且比真菌培养和墨汁负染检查更敏感。LCAT目前在泰国广泛使用，并得到泰国专家的推荐，可在所有综合医院使用。它是用于隐球菌性脑膜炎诊断、预后和随访的简单、敏感、特异、快速且廉价的工具。
