Evaluation of the phadebact gonococcus test, a coagglutination procedure for confirmation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Abstract

Rapid and accurate immunological confirmation of presumptively positive gonococci could be facilitated with the Phadebact Gonococcus Test, a slide coagglutination procedure. The test was compared with carbohydrate utilization and fluorescent-antibody tests on 235 clinical isolates. With the coagglutination procedure, 97.1% of the isolates were identified as compared with 93.1% by carbohydrate utilization and 98.7% by fluorescent antibody. The Phadebact test was highly specific, showing no cross-reactions with 55 other Neisseria species or with 50 miscellaneous organisms occasionally found growing on selective culture media. Because of its high sensitivity and specificity, ease of performance, and ability to provide results in 2 to 3 min, this procedure provides a suitable alternative to the carbohydrate utilization and fluorescent-antibody tests for confirmation of N. gonorrhoeae.