Microcapsule agglutination test for the diagnosis of leptospirosis in Thailand

Ann Trop Med Parasitol. 1998 Oct;92(7):797-801. doi: 10.1080/00034989859041.

Abstract

Sera from 82 cases of leptospirosis (confirmed by micro-agglutination tests or IFAT) and 108 patients with other diseases were investigated using the microcapsule agglutination test (MCAT) for leptospirosis. The overall sensitivity (90.2%), specificity (96.3%), positive predictive value (94.9%), negative predictive value (92.9%), and accuracy of the MCAT (93.7%) were encouraging. MCAT is simple, can be performed by unskilled personnel with minimum laboratory facilities, and produces results in 3 h. MCAT would be a reliable serodiagnostic test for rapidly screening individuals for leptospirosis, in various geographical areas of Thailand.

MeSH terms

  • Agglutination Tests / methods*
  • Fever / etiology
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect
  • Humans
  • Leptospira interrogans / isolation & purification*
  • Leptospirosis / complications
  • Leptospirosis / diagnosis*
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Thailand