Skip to main content
Journal of Clinical Microbiology logoLink to Journal of Clinical Microbiology
. 1993 Sep;31(9):2519–2522. doi: 10.1128/jcm.31.9.2519-2522.1993

False-negative cerebrospinal fluid cryptococcal latex agglutination tests for patients with culture-positive cryptococcal meningitis.

B P Currie 1, L F Freundlich 1, M A Soto 1, A Casadevall 1
PMCID: PMC265794  PMID: 8408579

Abstract

Three cases of false-negative cerebrospinal fluid latex agglutination test results for patients with culture-positive cryptococcal meningitis are reported. False-negative results occurred in settings of low cryptococcal antigen concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid and were dependent on the latex agglutination test kit used. Investigation of each case revealed that prozone phenomena or interference from bound antibody or protein could not account for the false-negative results.

Full text

PDF
2519

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. BENNETT J. E., HASENCLEVER H. F., TYNES B. S. DETECTION OF CRYPTOCOCCAL POLYSACCHARIDE IN SERUM AND SPINAL FLUID: VALUE IN DIAGNOSIS AND PROGNOSIS. Trans Assoc Am Physicians. 1964;77:145–150. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. BLOOMFIELD N., GORDON M. A., ELMENDORF D. F., Jr DETECTION OF CRYPTOCOCCUS NEOFORMANS ANTIGEN IN BODY FLUIDS BY LATEX PARTICLE AGGLUTINATION. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1963 Oct;114:64–67. doi: 10.3181/00379727-114-28586. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bennett J. E., Bailey J. W. Control for rheumatoid factor in the latex test for cryptococcosis. Am J Clin Pathol. 1971 Sep;56(3):360–365. doi: 10.1093/ajcp/56.3.360. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Boom W. H., Piper D. J., Ruoff K. L., Ferraro M. J. New cause for false-positive results with the cryptococcal antigen test by latex agglutination. J Clin Microbiol. 1985 Nov;22(5):856–857. doi: 10.1128/jcm.22.5.856-857.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Casadevall A., Freundlich L. F., Marsh L., Scharff M. D. Extensive allelic variation in Cryptococcus neoformans. J Clin Microbiol. 1992 May;30(5):1080–1084. doi: 10.1128/jcm.30.5.1080-1084.1992. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Chuck S. L., Sande M. A. Infections with Cryptococcus neoformans in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. N Engl J Med. 1989 Sep 21;321(12):794–799. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198909213211205. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Eng R. H., Bishburg E., Smith S. M., Kapila R. Cryptococcal infections in patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Am J Med. 1986 Jul;81(1):19–23. doi: 10.1016/0002-9343(86)90176-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Gade W., Hinnefeld S. W., Babcock L. S., Gilligan P., Kelly W., Wait K., Greer D., Pinilla M., Kaplan R. L. Comparison of the PREMIER cryptococcal antigen enzyme immunoassay and the latex agglutination assay for detection of cryptococcal antigens. J Clin Microbiol. 1991 Aug;29(8):1616–1619. doi: 10.1128/jcm.29.8.1616-1619.1991. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Goodman J. S., Kaufman L., Koenig M. G. Diagnosis of cryptococcal meningitis. Value of immunologic detection of cryptococcal antigen. N Engl J Med. 1971 Aug 19;285(8):434–436. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197108192850804. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Gordon M. A. Cryptococcal antigen test. JAMA. 1981 Sep 25;246(13):1403–1403. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Gray L. D., Roberts G. D. Experience with the use of pronase to eliminate interference factors in the latex agglutination test for cryptococcal antigen. J Clin Microbiol. 1988 Nov;26(11):2450–2451. doi: 10.1128/jcm.26.11.2450-2451.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Hamilton J. R., Noble A., Denning D. W., Stevens D. A. Performance of cryptococcus antigen latex agglutination kits on serum and cerebrospinal fluid specimens of AIDS patients before and after pronase treatment. J Clin Microbiol. 1991 Feb;29(2):333–339. doi: 10.1128/jcm.29.2.333-339.1991. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Heelan J. S., Corpus L., Kessimian N. False-positive reactions in the latex agglutination test for Cryptococcus neoformans antigen. J Clin Microbiol. 1991 Jun;29(6):1260–1261. doi: 10.1128/jcm.29.6.1260-1261.1991. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Kozel T. R., Cazin J. Nonencapsulated Variant of Cryptococcus neoformans I. Virulence Studies and Characterization of Soluble Polysaccharide. Infect Immun. 1971 Feb;3(2):287–294. doi: 10.1128/iai.3.2.287-294.1971. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Kwon-Chung K. J., Polacheck I., Bennett J. E. Improved diagnostic medium for separation of Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans (serotypes A and D) and Cryptococcus neoformans var. gattii (serotypes B and C). J Clin Microbiol. 1982 Mar;15(3):535–537. doi: 10.1128/jcm.15.3.535-537.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Perfect J. R. Cryptococcosis. Infect Dis Clin North Am. 1989 Mar;3(1):77–102. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Prevost E., Newell R. Commercial cryptococcal latex kit: clinical evaluation in a medical center hospital. J Clin Microbiol. 1978 Nov;8(5):529–533. doi: 10.1128/jcm.8.5.529-533.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Stamm A. M., Polt S. S. False-negative cryptococcal antigen test. JAMA. 1980 Sep 19;244(12):1359–1359. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Stewart T. W., Jr, Parnell D. Postzone v prozone. JAMA. 1982 Aug 13;248(6):646–647. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Temstet A., Roux P., Poirot J. L., Ronin O., Dromer F. Evaluation of a monoclonal antibody-based latex agglutination test for diagnosis of cryptococcosis: comparison with two tests using polyclonal antibodies. J Clin Microbiol. 1992 Oct;30(10):2544–2550. doi: 10.1128/jcm.30.10.2544-2550.1992. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Wu T. C., Koo S. Y. Comparison of three commercial cryptococcal latex kits for detection of cryptococcal antigen. J Clin Microbiol. 1983 Nov;18(5):1127–1130. doi: 10.1128/jcm.18.5.1127-1130.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. de Repentigny L. Serodiagnosis of candidiasis, aspergillosis, and cryptococcosis. Clin Infect Dis. 1992 Mar;14 (Suppl 1):S11–S22. doi: 10.1093/clinids/14.supplement_1.s11. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES