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. 2010 Feb 18;24(1):73–105. doi: 10.1016/j.idc.2009.10.014

Table 7.

Differential diagnosis of increased cold agglutinin titers

Infectious Causes Non-infectious Causes
High cold agglutinin titers (≥1:64) High cold agglutinin titers high (≥1:64)
 •Mycoplasma pneumoniae  •Cold agglutinin disease
Elevated cold agglutinin titers (<1:64) Elevated cold agglutinin titers (<1:64)
  • Respiratory pathogens
    • •
      M pneumoniae
    • •
      Adenovirus
    • •
      Influenza
  • •
    SLE
    • •
      Myeloma
    • •
      Waldenström's macroglobulinemia
    • •
      Lymphoma
    • •
      CLL
    • •
      Sinus histocytosis
  • Nonrespiratory pathogens
    • •
      EBV
    • •
      CMV
    • •
      HCV
    • •
      Malaria
    • •
      Trypanosomiasis
    • •
      Coxsackie viruses
    • •
      Measles
    • •
      Mumps
    • •
      HIV

Abbreviations: CLL, chronic lymphocytic leukemia; CMV, cytomegalovirus; EBV, Epstein-Barr virus; HCV, hepatitis C virus; HIV, human immuno deficiency virus; SLE, systemic lupus erythematosus.

Adapted from Cunha BA. The clinical diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae: the diagnostic importance of highly elevated serum cold agglutinins. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2008;27:1017–9.