Antigen detection in cerebrospinal fluid--pros and cons.

Over the past decade, rapid diagnostic techniques for detection of bacterial polysaccharide antigens have been developed and successfully applied in the clinical setting. Currently, countercurrent immunoelectrophoresis, latex particle agglutination, and coagglutination are the techniques most used in microbiology laboratories. Enzyme immunoassays may become more practical in the future. Quantitation of antigen concentration in cerebrospinal fluid provides prognostic information at the time of admission. This review summarizes the advantages, disadvantages, and clinical applications of these techniques.