Rapid diagnosis of hemophilus influenzae meningitis by a latex agglutination technique

A latex agglutination test for the rapid diagnosis of H. influenzae meningitis was evaluated by testing 122 CSF samples. All ten CSFs from culture-proven cases of H. influenzae meningitis were positive by the latex agglutination test, which detected an additional two cases of meningitis. There were no cross reactions in 27 CSF samples bacteriologically positive for other organisms. This latex agglutination test is rapid, simple, specific and more sensitive than routine culture. As H. influenzae is the most common cause of childhood bacterial mentingitis in many parts of India, this simple test has a high utility in hospitals and health centres.