Boreland P C, Gillespie S H, Ashworth L A
Department of Medical Microbiology, Waveney Hospital, Ballymena, Ireland.
J Clin Pathol. 1988 May;41(5):573-5. doi: 10.1136/jcp.41.5.573.
A counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE) method for antigen detection using monoclonal antibody was assessed for its ability to aid in the rapid diagnosis of Bordetella pertussis in 59 patients. A positive diagnosis from a combination of results from tests of serum and urine was obtained in 51 (87%) of cases. For sera, CIE had a sensitivity of 85% and a specificity of 94%; for urine samples the sensitivity was 81% and a specificity of 100%. Antigen detection by CIE is simple to perform and yields results on the same day, thus allowing treatment to begin at an early stage.