[Use of heterophilic mononucleosis antigen in the latex diagnostic test. III. Diagnostic field studies].

The aim of this study was to evaluate usefulness of latex coated with a preparation of heterophilic mononucleosis antigen for the detection of antibodies present during a course of infectious mononucleosis. Studies were performed in district serological laboratories. Sanitary-Epidemiological Stations in conditions of routine diagnostics. Studies were performed on 656 blood serum samples collected from individuals with a clinical suspicion of infectious mononucleosis. Latex and Paul-Bunnell-Davidsohn (PBD) tests were run in parallel. Out of 154 blood serum samples which contained antibodies detected by PBD test in diagnostically significant titer of 1:56 or higher, 151 were reactive in latex test in the dilution 1:5 or higher, while in the remaining three cases agglutination appeared with undiluted serum only. Out of 268 serum samples tested in latex test 167 reacted in 1:5 titer - diagnostically accepted as a significant or in higher titers. The sensitivity of latex test amounted to 98.1% and specificity was 96.9% as compared to reference Paul-Bunnell-Davidsohn test. The results of our study suggest the possibility of replacing Paul-Bunnell-Davidsohn test by latex test performed as a method providing the possibility of determination of the presence of heterohilic antibodies in blood serum samples and the follow up of their dynamics.