Diagnosis of Haemophilus influenzae type b pericarditis by counterimmunoelectrophoresis

Purulent pericarditis

Purulent pericarditis is an infrequent, but important complication of infective illnesses, in particular pneumonia, which if diagnosed early has a good prognosis. The incidence of the condition is probably increasing, particularly in the immuno-compromised group of patients. 'Classical' symptoms and signs are often absent, and a high index of awareness is required to diagnose the condition. This review deals with the epidemiology, microbiology, clinical features, treatment and prognosis of purulent pericarditis with two illustrative examples of typical cases.

Purulent pericarditis in children. Review and case report

Acute purulent pericarditis is infrequent in children. Only around 200 cases have been reported in the western literature in the past 25 years (1-10). From the Scandinavian countries only two cases have been described (6, 7). Purulent pericarditis is usually a complication of upper respiratory tract infection. Mortality is very high in unrecognized or inadequately treated cases. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment with adequate surgical drainage and antimicrobial therapy are vitally important for the outcome.

Quantitative nephelometric determination of Haemophilus influenzae antigen in body fluids

Nephelometry, an immunological technique widely used for the quantification of blood proteins, was adapted to provide a quantitative method of detecting Haemophilus influenzae capsular antigen in body fluids. Using specific antiserum directed against H. influenzae capsular antigen, samples of serum, cerebrospinal fluid, urine, and joint fluid from 38 cases of H. influenzae infections were analyzed. The results were compared for reliability to counterimmunoelectrophoresis, a widely used diagnostic tool. The nephelometric technique has the same advantages of speed and specificity as counterimmunoelectrophoresis and provides the clinician and researcher with a quantitative method that is as reliable as the qualitative counterimmunoelectrophoresis procedure. The method allowed directly quantitative readouts on patient specimens, with no necessity for serial dilutions or densitometric readings.