Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “AGGLUTINATION”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 325 records · Page 18Linked to original sources

Direct agglutination test and other assays for measuring antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii.

The performance of a direct agglutination test for the detection of toxoplasma specific IgG immunoglobulin was compared with that of the latex agglutination test. The direct agglutination test was less sensitive but more specific than the latex agglutination test. Quantitative results were not directly comparable, reflecting the different antibody profiles detected in each assay. The direct agglutination test represents an alternative to the latex agglutination test as a screening test for toxoplasmosis. Patients at risk of life threatening infection require detailed serological examination using additional assays.

Agglutination Tests↗

Effect on glutaraldehyde fixation on lectin-mediated agglutination of mouse leukaemia cells.

The effect of glutaraldehyde fixation on lectin-mediated agglutination of murine leukaemia (GRSL) cells was investigated using 2 assay methods which differed in the shear forces to which the agglutinated cells were subjected. First, lectin and cells were allowed to interact under conditions in which shear forces were minimized and the degree of agglutination was evaluated microscopically by the appearance and size of the cell aggregates. This assay demonstrated that concanavalin A (con A)-, wheat germ agglutinin (WGA)- or Ricinus communis agglutinin I (RCAI)-mediated cytoagglutination was unaffected (WGA and RCAI) or somewhat enhanced (con A) by prior fixation of the cells with glutaraldehyde. Secondly, an electronic particle counter was used to measure the disappearance of single cells and concomitant appearance of cell aggregates as a function of the lectin concentration. In this assay, in which the aggregated cells are subjected to significant shear forces during dilution and cell counting, agglutination of GRSL cells by each of the 3 lectins was drastically inhibited by prior fixation of the cells with glutaraldehyde. This assay also demonstrated enhanced nonlectin-induced cell aggregation after fixation. In both cytoagglutination assays about the same lectin concentration was required for threshold agglutination of unfixed cells. Comparatively, the results of the 2 cytoagglutination assays indicate that a fraction of the lectin-mediated bonds between unfixed cells is shear resistant and that fixation of the cells either weakens these bonds or inhibits their formation. Morphologically, cells prefixed with glutaraldehyde were sperical at all lectin concentrations, with a continuous dense distribution of cell surface-bound con A, labelled directly with haemocyanin or indirectly using the peroxidase-diaminobenzidine reaction. Unfixed cells showed angular and toadstool-shaped deformations, especially at the highest lectin concentrations, the agglutinating surfaces being flattened against each other over extended areas. The distribution of con A label was continuous and dense between the apposed surfaces and discontinuous on free surfaces. In the presence of con A the free surfaces of prefixed cells exhibited more microvilli than the surfaces of non-prefixed cells. These results favour the view that fixation prevents the formation of shear-resistant, lectin-mediated bonds between cells, not by restricting the lateral mobility of lectin receptors, but by impairing the apposition of rigid cell surfaces.

Agglutination↗

Histone-mediated agglutination of epididymal spermatozoa and the occurrence of histone receptors on the rat sperm surface.

Exogenous calf thymus whole histones showed a high degree of specificity to cause agglutination of rat epididymal spermatozoa. Histones had markedly greater (approximately 5-fold) agglutination activity than did salmon protamine whereas a variety of proteins, including strongly basic ones such as herring protamine sulphate, ribonuclease, cytochrome C and lysozyme, had no detectable agglutination activity. Histones F-3 and F-2a had the greatest activity for cell agglutination. Polyamines (5 mM), sialic acid (5 mM) and basic or acidic amino acids (10 mM) had no effect on histone (approximately 8 microM)-mediated sperm agglutination. 32P-Labelled histones showed a high specificity for binding to intact spermatozoa. The binding was saturable at a histone concentration of approximately 0.3 mg/ml and nearly completely displaced at saturating concentrations of native histones. Only unlabelled protamines competed to a small extent for binding of 32P-labelled histones to spermatozoa. The data are consistent with the view that histones bind specifically to sperm surface receptor sites before agglutination of cells.

Animals↗

Influence of incubation in utero on motility and head-to-head agglutination of ejaculated rabbit spermatozoa.

Ejaculated spermatozoa were rendered immotile by incubation for 8 h at 37 degrees C in 2.9% sodium citrate. Immotile spermatozoa (5 x 10(6)) were surgically inseminated into the uterine lumen of does and samples were recovered from the uterus 5, 15, 30 and 60 min after insemination. Incubation in utero led to a resumption of progressive motility and induced head-to-head agglutination. Motility and head-to-head agglutination were highest (64 and 70% respectively) at 5 min, and declined (48 and 49%) by 60 min. The percentage of spermatozoa with an intact acrosome did not change during the in-utero incubation. When spermatozoa from a single ejaculate were evaluated in different females there was significant variation (P less than 0.01) in the reinitiation of motility and agglutination. Most agglutinated spermatozoa (greater than 96%) had an intact acrosomal membrane while acrosomal integrity of single spermatozoa differed greatly among females. We conclude that the agglutinated (motile with intact acrosomes) and non-agglutinated (usually immotile and with disrupted acrosomes) represent different populations within the uterine lumen.

Acrosome↗

Agglutination of leukemic and 2,4-dinitrophenyl-tagged normal human lymphocytes by wheat germ agglutinin.

The present study was undertaken to determine if leukemic and 2,4-dinitrophenyl (DNP)-tagged normal human lymphocytes shared common receptors for Wheat Germ Agglutinin (WGA), a lectin capable of reacting with malignant cells. Normal peripheral blood lymphocytes were tagged with 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) at a ratio of 10-11 molecules/cell. Various concentrations of WGA were added to leukemic or tagged or untagged normal lymphocytes and incubated for 20 minutes at 37 degrees C, after which agglutination was scored visually. A readily discernible quantitative difference in the agglutinability of leukemic and DNP-tagged versus untagged normal cells was seen at all concentrations of WGA in the range of 50-800 mug/ml. The reaction was maximal when a ratio of 10-11 molecules of DNFB/cell was used for tagging and decreased progressively with 10-8, 10-6, 10-4, 0r 10-2 molecules. The agglutination of leukemic and DNP-tagged normal lymphocytes by 200 mug/ml of WGA was completely blocked by 0.1 M N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) while as low a concentration as 0.001 M GlcNAc inhibited the reactivity of untagged cells. Since the agglutination of leukemic and DNP-tagged normal lymphocytes was equally inhibited by GlcNAc, this suggests that the same or similar receptor sites were involved in the two reactions. On the basis of our observations we propose that the initial step in the agglutination of leukemic and DNP-tagged normal lymphocytes by WGA IS THE BINDING OF THE LECTIN TO SPECIFIC RECEPTORS RATHER Than to DNP residues on the cell surface, since leukemic cells tagged with DNFB did not show increased agglutinability.

Acetylglucosamine↗

Serotyping of Serratia marcescens: simplified tube O-agglutination test and comparison with other serological procedures.

A simplified tube O-agglutination test was developed and evaluated for the determination of somatic serogroup (O) antigens of Serratia marcescens. Use was made of Tryptic Soy broth (TSB)-grown O-cells that had been boiled for 1 hour; 0.145 M NaCl proved a satisfactory diluent. Various technical parameters of this test were examined as well. Rabbit anti-O immune sera, that had been elicited with 5 x concentrated, TSB-grown, 1 hour-boiled O-cells of all 15 currently employed O-antigen reference strains of S. marcescens yielded satisfactory O-agglutinin titers. The tube O-agglutination test compared favorably with the indirect hemagglutination technic, although the latter technic yielded significantly higher O-agglutinin titers with merely 7 of the 15 O-antigens of S. marcescens. The tube O-agglutination test permitted detection of higher O-agglutinin titers than a microtiter O-agglutination test utilizing O-cells that had been stained with safranin O. Conversely, titers obtained with TTC-stained O-cells in a microtiter agglutination procedure approximated those yielded by the tube O-agglutination test, but O-cells of the various S. marcescens strains were stained nonuniformly by triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC). As before, there existed marked serologic cross-reactivity between O-antigens O6 and O14. A new O6 candidate strain, S. marcescens isolate S 1i, serotype O6:H20, was proposed. Contrary to O-agglutinins of human control serum, the O-agglutinins of rabbit anti-O immune sera proved refractory to treatment with 0.1 M of 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) and 0.01 M dithiothreitol (DTT) respectively. Dual absorptions of rabbit anti-O immune sera with killed cells of Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I (protein A), failed to significantly reduce O-agglutinin titers, although human IgG and IgM was bound by protein A. It was tentatively concluded that the 2-ME- and DTT-refractory rabbit anti-S. marcescens O-agglutinins resided in the IgM immunoglobulin class.

Agglutination Tests↗

Agglutination of bladder cells by concanavalin A during the early phase of treatment of rats with N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine.

N-Butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine was given to male Wistar rats at a dose of 0.05% in the drinking water for one to five weeks, and agglutination of cell isolated from their bladder by concanavalin A (Con A) was determined at intervals during and after treatment. Mucosal cells were isolated from everted bladder by ethylenediaminetetraacetate treatment and sonication. As early as one week after the start of treatment, Con A caused some agglutination of isolated bladder cells, and this agglutination increased with time, reaching an almost constant value from the third week. Con A agglutination of bladder cells induced by N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine treatment for only one week appeared to be irreversible, and it was still observed two weeks after the end of treatment. Scanning electron microscopy showed that microvilli developed on the luminal surface of mucosal cells in situ at the time when the isolated cells became agglutinable with Con A. Measurement of agglutinability of isolated bladder cells with Con A might be a useful way of detecting very early changes in bladder carcinogenesis.

Agglutination↗

A microtitration agglutination test for detecting group E streptococcus infection in swine.

A microtitration agglutination test was developed and evaluated for detecting infection of swine with group E streptococci type IV, the most common causative agent of streptococcic lymphadenitis of swine. Whole cell agglutinogens representing group and type antigens of group E streptococci were tested in the microtitration agglutination test against reference antisera to Streptococcus groups A, B, C, D, E, F, G. H, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S and U, as well as specific antisera to types II, IV and V of group E. Group E specific agglutinogens were unsatisfactory in the microtitration agglutination test because of cross reactions with group P and U antisera and because of poor reproducibility of the test. Type specific agglutinogens of group E streptococci reacted only with their respective homologous antisera and not with any heterologous group antisera. None of the group E streptococci agglutinogens reacted with 52 normal swine sera. Agglutinogen made from group E streptococci type IV was selected for further evaluation in the microtitration agglutination test because group E streptococci types II and V are considered to be of minor importance in the etiology of streptococcic lymphadenitis of swine. Swine experimentally infected with a type IV strain developed significant titers in the microtitration agglutination test. All swine tested negative before exposure and seroconverted (titer >/=4) two to six weeks postexposure.The microtitration agglutination test was used by two different laboratories to test 187 duplicate samples of serum from infected swine. A total of 94.1% of the tests were read at either the same titer (48.1%) or a difference of not more than one dilution (46.0%) at the two laboratories. There was disagreement between the two laboratories in the test-positive test-negative status of 19 of the sera (10.2%). Titers of two of the sera differed by two dilutions (<4 at one laboratory and 8 at the other). The remaining 17 sera differed in titer by only one dilution (<4 at one laboratory and 4 at the other).

Agglutination Tests↗

Relationship between concanavalin A-induced agglutinability of murine leukemia cells and their propensity to form heterotypic aggregates with syngeneic lymphoid cells.

The agglutinabilities of the murine leukemia cell lines L1210, P388, and C1498 were determined in the presence of concanavalin A (Con A) by a quantitative cytoagglutination assay. The propensity of these cells to form heterotypic aggregates with normal syngeneic spleen cells, those obtained from mice carrying the respective leukemias in ascitic form, and syngeneic lung cells also were determined. Con A caused agglutination of all five types of leukemia cells and the resulting agglutination patterns had certain characteristics. Threshold concentrations of Con A, below which no significant cytoagglutination occurred, were very low. A steady increase in zeta, a previously defined index of agglutination that simultaneously takes into account the number of free cells and the number and size of the aggregates, was observed with increasing concentrations of Con A until a plateau was reached at 25-50 microgram/ml and this extended over a wide range of lectin concentrations (50-1,000 micrograms/ml). Self-aggregation of leukemia cells was not observed, and their propensity to form heterotypic aggregates with syngeneic lung cells was negligible. However, all leukemia cell lines formed measurable aggregates with spleen cells from both normal and leukemia-bearing mice; these aggregates usually reached a maximum plateau between 30 and 35 minutes of incubation and remained constant thereafter. Aggregation of leukemia cells with spleen cells from leukemic mice always was greater than that with spleen cells from normal mice. Con A agglutinability of leukemia cells was correlated with their propensity to form heterotypic aggregates, which suggests that Con A agglutinability of leukemia cells was correlated with their propensity to form heterotypic aggregates, which suggests that Con A receptor carbohydrate moieties may be involved in the intercellular adhesion leading to heterotypic aggregate formation.

Agglutination↗

Development and evaluation of co-agglutination test to detect rotavirus antigens in stools of patients with diarrhoea.

Rotavirus is the most common cause of acute diarrhoea in infants and children in both the developed and developing countries including Bangladesh. Information about rotavirus diarrhoea in Bangladesh is insufficient primarily due to the lack of diagnostic facilities due to the high cost of reagents and equipment and lack of skilled personnel. A simple, suitable and less costly technique of co-agglutination test using protein-A secreting staphylococci was developed and evaluated against a commercially available ELISA kit to detect rotavirus antigen in stools of patients with diarrhoea. Staphylococcus cowan strain 1 was grown and coated with rabbit antisera raised against RV5 and SA11 rotavirus strains. The antibody-coated staphylococci were agglutinated specifically by rotavirus present in faecal samples within one or two minutes. A total of 1332 stool specimens were tested by co-agglutination and ELISA, of which 210 (15.77%) were positive by ELISA and 276 (20.72%) by co-agglutination test. Compared to ELISA, sensitivity of co-agglutination test was 76.19%, specificity 89.66% and predictive values of a positive and a negative test were 57.97% and 95.26% respectively. The results indicate that the co-agglutination test is a simple and suitable technique for rapid screening of rotavirus infection which could be adopted in clinical practice.

Agglutination Tests↗

[The sperm-agglutinating activity of the fractions of saline root extracts from Arum maculatum].

Our previous investigations have demonstrated that saline extract of Arum maculatum contains lectin (sperm agglutinin) which agglutinates human ejaculated spermatozoa of the type tail to tail and head to tail. By means of speed liquid chromatography (Mono S XP 5/5) eight fractions (I-VIII) were obtained. The sperm-agglutinating activity of the fractions was investigated against frog testicular spermatozoa and testicular and epididymal spermatozoa of man, rabbit, rat and mouse. The fractions did not agglutinate frog spermatozoa. Fraction I agglutinated rabbit, rat and murine spermatozoa; fraction II-rabbit and rat spermatozoa; fraction VII-only human spermatozoa, and fraction VIII-human, as well as animal spermatozoa. The fractions III, IV, V, VI had no sperm-agglutinating activity. These data could be explained by the assumption that the differences in the sperm-agglutinating activity of the fractions are due to isoforms (called also isolectins) of the phytospermagglutinin, contained in the saline extract of Arum maculatum.

Animals↗

[Agglutination of hen egg-yolk immunoglobulins (IgY) against Salmonella enterica, serovar enteritidis].

Two groups of 6 laying hens were used to produce IgY. In the vaccinated group (V), hens were injected by intramuscular route with two doses of a Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis bacterin at 20-day interval. In the control group (T) hens remained unvaccinated. Four IgY extractions were performed on the egg production of both groups. The first two extractions were carried out using the yolks obtained from the eggs produced during the 4th and 5th post-vaccination week (extracts 1V and 1T) and the other two using the ones from the 6th, 7th and 8th week (2V and 2T). Starting from the extracts 1V and 1T other products were obtained by freezing-thawing (1V-A and 1T-A) and simple (1V-B and 1T-B) or double (1V-C and 1T-C) flow capillary dialysis concentration. All these products were compared using an ELISA test specific for the detection of chicken antibodies against flagellar antigens of S. Enteritidis. In this test, V extracts were positive whereas T extracts were negative. The extract 1V was more positive than the extract 2V. The extract 1V-C was the most positive and was therefore selected to be used as an antiserum in the agglutination tests. This extract contained 1.9 g/dl of total proteins, 0.028 g/dl of triglycerides and 0.012 g/dl of cholesterol and showed an electrophoretic pattern characteristic of IgY. The 1T-C extract was used as a negative control in the agglutination tests. Slide somatic and tube flagellar agglutination tests were simultaneously carried out using both IgY extracts and a standard rabbit anti-Salmonella (IgG) sera. Overall 367 strains from the Enterobacteriaceae family were tested together with two other strains belonging to the Vibrionaceae family. The 1V-C extract specifically agglutinated S. Enteritidis strains in the same way as the rabbit sera. This extract also agglutinated other Salmonella strains antigenically related to S. Enteritidis. Salmonella which did not share somatic or flagellar antigens with S. Enteritidis, other different species of the Enterobacteriaceae family and the two strains of the Vibrionaceae family were all negative. None of the strains tested was agglutinated by the 1T-C extract. This paper show that it is possible to use specific IgY to identify S. enterica serovars. The more extended use of IgY for diagnostic purposes may be a convenient way to complement the current use of mammal polyclonal antibodies.

Agglutination Tests↗

Sexual agglutination factors from the yeast Pichia amethionina.

Pichia amethionina is a heterothallic yeast isolated from necrotic cactus tissue. Haploid cells of opposite mating type, designated alpha and alpha, agglutinate strongly when mixed. The agglutination factors of the two cell types have been solubilized from the cell walls by beta-glucanase digestion and then partially purified by affinity adsorption to the opposite cell type and by gel filtration. From alpha-cells was obtained a large, heat-stable glycoprotein with the ability to agglutinate alpha-cells. This alpha-agglutinin was inactivated by mercaptoethanol, probably because the recognition sites are linked to the glycoprotein core by disulfide bonds. Digestion of alpha-cells with beta-glucanase released a large heat-labile glycoprotein that did not agglutinate alpha-cells but did inhibit agglutination of alpha-cells by alpha-agglutinin. Subtilisin digestion of this alpha-factor released a carbohydrate-free protein of 27,000 daltons that retained the biological activity of the factor. These agglutination factors are sex- and species-specific and are not found on the surface of heterozygous diploid cells.

Agglutinins↗

Latex agglutination test for adenovirus diagnosis in diarrheal disease.

A commercial latex agglutination test for diagnosis of adenovirus in diarrheal disease (Adenolex, Orion Diagnostica, Finland) was evaluated by comparison with the results obtained by ELISA, electron microscopy (EM), and virus isolation. Fifty specimens originated from the diagnostic routine, and 50 were selected from a previous epidemiological study on the etiology of diarrheal disease in children. Thirteen of the 100 specimens reacted with the latex control, impairing interpretation of the results. Although the ELISA detected adenovirus antigen in 10(2) higher dilutions than the latex agglutination test, a total agreement was obtained between results by the two tests for 87 specimens including 42 positives. The two additional positives found by EM and virus isolation could not be diagnosed by the latex agglutination test. Of 37 specimens containing enteric adenoviruses (types 40 and 41), the agglutination test diagnosed all but 4 specimens containing type 41 virus. These four specimens were negative also by ELISA and adenovirus had been detected by virus isolation on the 293 cell line. The latex agglutination test gave positive results with nine specimens containing adenovirus types other than the enteric types 40 and 41. The latex agglutination test was found to be a rapid and simple method for the detection of adenovirus in diarrheal disease. Compared to ELISA and EM, the sensitivity was 100% and 95% respectively, and the specificity 100%.

Adenoviridae Infections↗

Receptor specificity of influenza A viruses correlates with the agglutination of erythrocytes from different animal species.

Despite their uniform ability to bind to oligosaccharide-containing terminal sialic acids, influenza A viruses show differences in receptor specificity. To test whether agglutination of erythrocytes from different animal species could be used to assess the receptor specificity of influenza A viruses, we determined the agglutinating activities of a range of virus strains, including those with known receptor specificities, using erythrocytes from seven animal species. All equine and avian viruses, including those known to recognize N-acetyl and N-glycolyl sialic acid linked to galactose by the alpha2,3 linkage (NeuAc alpha2,3Gal and NeuGc alpha2,3Gal), agglutinated erythrocytes from all of the animal species tested (chickens, ducks, guinea pigs, humans, sheep, horses, and cows). The human viruses, including those known to preferentially recognize NeuAc alpha2,6Gal, agglutinated all but the horse and cow erythrocytes. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis of erythrocytes using linkage-specific lectins [Sambucus nigra agglutinin for sialic acid (SA) alpha2,6Gal and Maackia amurensis agglutinin for SA alpha2,3Gal] showed that both cow and horse erythrocytes contain a large amount of SA alpha2,3Gal-, but virtually no SA2,6Gal-specific lectin-reactive oligosaccharides on the cell surface, while human and chicken erythrocytes contained both types of oligosaccharides. Considering that the majority (>93%) of sialic acid in horse and cow erythrocytes is of the N-glycolyl type, our results suggest that viruses able to agglutinate these erythrocytes (i.e., avian and equine viruses) recognize NeuGc alpha2,3Gal. These findings also show that agglutinating assays with erythrocytes from different animal species would be useful in characterizing the receptor specificity of influenza A viruses.

Animals↗

Comparison of latex agglutination and counterimmunoelectrophoresis in the diagnosis of acute Streptococcus pneumoniae infections.

The ability of latex agglutination (Slidex Pneumokit) and counterimmunoelectrophoresis to detect Streptococcus pneumoniae antigen in body fluids was evaluated. The patients were classified as having proven Streptococcus pneumoniae infection, suspected Streptococcus pneumoniae infection, acute superinfection of chronic bronchitis or non-pneumococcal respiratory infection. Sixty-two non-pneumococcal meningitis patients were also included in the study. Latex agglutination and counterimmunoelectrophoresis tests were performed on serum, urine and cerebrospinal fluid specimens when indicated and repeated each week until the patient was discharged. Latex agglutination was done on samples boiled for 10 min. In vitro sensitivity of counterimmuno-electrophoresis and latex agglutination were 10 and 1 ng/ml respectively for type three antigen. In pulmonary disease (proven and suspected Streptococcus pneumoniae infection) counterimmunoelectrophoresis and latex agglutination had a clinical sensitivity of 72.9 and 87.5% respectively, a specificity of 96.3 and 92.6%, a predictive value for a positive test of 97.2 and 95.4% and for a negative test of 66.6 and 80.6%. Latex agglutination may offer an alternative to counterimmunoelectrophoresis in the rapid diagnosis of Streptococcus pneumoniae infections since it is easier to perform and gives a reliable result within 15 min.

Acute Disease↗

Efficacy of latex agglutination and quantification methods for determination of C-reactive protein (CRP) in pediatric sera.

Described is a procedure for serum C-reactive protein (CRP) determination, consisting of a semiquantitative rapid CRP latex agglutination test, using dilutions of the serum, and the quantitating spot immunoprecipitate assay (SIA). These methods are performed with standard laboratory equipment using no more than 30 microliters of serum for both assays. With visual inspection, the SIA results are available one to two hours after blood sampling. CRP levels obtained by agglutination testing with five batches of latex reagents coated with rabbit anti-CRP agree well with the quantification, i.e. essentially 100% for the negative sera and about 80% for positive sera containing greater than 40 mg CRP/l. The remaining 20% of the samples are classified as low positive at 10 to 40 mg/l on agglutination. False positive or negative agglutination findings are below 2.3% with concordance at 88% between SIA and the CRP agglutination with rabbit antibodies. Two lots of CRP-latex reagents coated with sheep antibodies, however, gave 15.3% and 10.1% false positive findings and poor concordance with SIA ratings, particularly for low positive sera at only 20 and 29%. SIA is suggested for CRP quantification because it compares well with radial immunodiffusion in accuracy (less than 91%) and provides results in 2 h rather than 1-2 days. Rocket electroimmunoassay is less reliable with lower ratings than found in SIA, probably due to the electrophoretic heterogeneity of CRP. This is demonstrated for two of three purified CRP preparations, for which varying agglutination is seen. The combination of methods is especially recommended for diagnosis and monitoring of CRP in infectious processes in neonates and infants because of the required small sample volume--0.5 ml heel-prick blood--the rapidity of reliable (greater than 80%) reporting and the possibility of rating sera with moderate levels of CRP.

Animals↗

Semi-quantitative estimation of serum myoglobin by a rapid latex agglutination method: an emergency screening test for acute myocardial infarction.

The present study reports the evaluation of a new latex agglutination test for serum myoglobin (SMb). The time of agglutination of the latex particles coated with antibodies to myoglobin was measured in 172 serum specimens with known concentration of myoglobin quantitated by a radioimmunoassay (RIA), collected from myocardial infarction (MI) patients, subjects suffering from various diseases, and normal controls. Myoglobin levels in the samples were found to decrease exponentially with time of agglutination. Agglutination occurring within 1 min (result coded as + + + +) corresponded to 761 +/- 366 micrograms/l of myoglobin; between 1 and 2 min (+ + +), to 285 +/- 101 micrograms/l; between 2 and 3 min (+ +), to 85 +/- 47 micrograms/l; between 3 and 4 min (+), to 51 +/- 38 micrograms/l; and after more than 4 min (-), to 31 +/- 16 micrograms/l. Blood samples were serially drawn from 24 MI patients with short hospitalization delays; the rapid agglutination which was obtained in the specimens taken upon admission (20 results coded as + + + + and four as + + +) actually corresponded to markedly increased SMb levels. In contrast, serum creatine kinase (CK) activities were still less than 150 U/l in four patients (16.6%); CK-MB was less than 5 U/l in five cases (20.8%). Positive agglutinations for SMb were also obtained 4 and 8 h following admission in all subjects, confirming that the latex test is an early and very sensitive indicator for MI.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acute Disease↗