Point-of-care diagnosis and prognostication of cryptococcal meningitis with the cryptococcal antigen lateral flow assay on cerebrospinal fluid

Clin Infect Dis. 2014 Jan;58(1):113-6. doi: 10.1093/cid/cit641. Epub 2013 Sep 24.

Abstract

The cryptococcal antigen (CRAG) lateral flow assay (LFA) had 100% sensitivity and specificity on cerebrospinal fluid samples. Pretreatment LFA titers correlated with quantitative cultures (R(2) = 0.7) and predicted 2- and 10-week mortality. The CRAG LFA is an accurate diagnostic assay for CSF and should be considered for point-of-care diagnosis of cryptococcal meningitis.

Keywords: HIV; cryptococcal meningitis; diagnosis; point-of-care; sub-Saharan Africa.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cerebrospinal Fluid / microbiology*
  • Chromatography, Affinity / methods*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Cryptococcus / immunology
  • Cryptococcus / isolation & purification*
  • Humans
  • Meningitis, Cryptococcal / diagnosis*
  • Point-of-Care Systems*
  • Sensitivity and Specificity