Enhanced Diagnosis of Pneumococcal Meningitis with Use of the Binax NOW Immunochromatographic Test of<i>Streptococcus pneumoniae</i>Antigen: A Multisite Study

Abstract

The ICT provided substantial benefit over the latex agglutination test and culture at Asian sites but not at African sites. With the addition of the ICT, the proportion of meningitis cases attributable to pneumococci was determined to be similar in Asia and Africa. These results suggest that previous studies have underestimated the proportion of pediatric bacterial meningitis cases caused by pneumococci.