Comparison of four assays for the detection of cryptococcal antigen.

Authors :: Binnicker MJ
Jespersen DJ
Bestrom JE
Rollins LO
Source :: Clinical and vaccine immunology : CVI [Clin Vaccine Immunol] 2012 Dec; Vol. 19 (12), pp. 1988-90. Date of Electronic Publication: 2012 Oct 17.
Publication Year :: 2012
Abstract: We compared the performance of four assays for the detection of cryptococcal antigen in serum samples (n = 634) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples (n = 51). Compared to latex agglutination, the sensitivity and specificity of the Premier enzyme immunoassay (EIA), Alpha CrAg EIA, and CrAg lateral flow assay (LFA) were 55.6 and 100%, 100 and 99.7%, and 100 and 99.8%, respectively, from serum samples. There was 100% agreement among the four tests for CSF samples, with 18 samples testing positive by each of the assays.