Tararaj DharakulSirirurg SongsivilaiSaijai SmithikarnCharin ThepthaiAmornrat LeelapornMahidol University2018-09-072018-09-071999-01-01American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Vol.61, No.4 (1999), 658-662000296372-s2.0-0032703418https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/25453Melioidosis, an infection caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, is endemic in Southeast Asia. The septicemic form of melioidosis is the leading cause of death due to community-acquired bacteremia in the northeastern part of Thailand. The delay in isolation and identification of the causative organism is a major contributing factor to the high mortality. The present study describes the evaluation of a latex agglutination test for rapid identification of the bacteria directly from blood cultures. The Bps-L1 monoclonal antibody recognized the lipopolysaccharide antigen of 96.8% of B. pseudomallei clinical isolates and was highly specific for B. pseudomallei. The diagnostic value of the latex agglutination test based on Bps-L1 monoclonal antibody was prospectively evaluated in an area endemic for melioidosis. The agglutination test kit was evaluated in 88 blood cultures with gram-negative bacteria identified with Gram staining. The sensitivity and specificity of the test kit were both 100%. These results indicated that the detection of B. pseudomallei lipopolysaccharide by specific monoclonal antibody in a latex agglutination format is clinically useful for the rapid identification of the bacteria in blood cultures in areas endemic for melioidosis.Mahidol UniversityImmunology and MicrobiologyMedicineArticleSCOPUS10.4269/ajtmh.1999.61.658