Detection of streptococcal antigen by counterimmunoelectrophoresis.

Rapid detection systems for identifying antibody or bacterial antigen have been used for two to three years. The analysis for the presence of bacterial antigen by counterimmunoelectrophoresis has been used in the detection of neonatal and pediatric infections. In the present report, the previous data concerning the detection of group B streptococcal antigen in cerebrospinal fluid, sera, and urine of infected newborns was reinforced. Counterimmunoelectrophoresis was also established as a method for detecting group B streptococcal antigen in amniotic fluid and group D streptococcal antigen in body fluids, and for verifying group A streptococcal antigen from 24-hour culture plates. This is a further extension of the use by the clinical laboratory of counterimmunoelectrophoresis in the detection of bacterial antigen.