Latex agglutination test: an effective screening tool for melioidosis diagnosis

Abstract

Previously, the incompetency to speed up the diagnosis process of melioidosis, a fetal infections cause by Burkholderia pseudomallei (Bp), consequently, lower down the survival rate of patients. Here, it is clearly demonstrated that the latex agglutination test can serve as an effective screening method for melioidosis diagnosis. To confirm its effectiveness in term of sensitivity, specificity, positive- predictive value, negative-predictive value and accuracy by latex agglutination test, specimen samples including blood, pus, sputum, urine and body fluid were collected from Nakhon Phanom Hospital in northeast Thailand during October 2015 to August 2017 for statistical analysis. Then, bacteria were cultured from the hospital collected specimens, and the bacterial colonies were primarily screened for their (+) oxidase producing and non-lactose fermentative properties. Accordingly, bacterial culture from 637 clinical specimens which were found to be positive for those two criteria, were included for an accuracy assessment of the latex agglutination test in comparison to the goal standard biochemical identification method. Statistical analysis revealed that a sign of melioidosis are able to be detected in 401 hemoculture sample by the latex agglutination with 100% sensitivity, 96.7% specificity, 99.4% positive-predictive value and 100% negative-predictive value. Moreover, melioidosis could be rapidly diagnosed for 236 other non-hemoculture samples with 100% accuracy by latex agglutination test. Timing for latex agglutination test was found to be significantly shorter than that of the standard method. Thus, it implied that this timeminimising test can serve as an effective alternative tool for melioidosis diagnosis.