An experimental latex agglutination test for antibody detection in human African trypanosomiasis.

A latex card agglutination test for detection of antibodies in human African trypanosomiasis is presented. The latex was covalently coated with semipurified surface glycoprotein of Variable Antigen Type LiTat 1.6 of Trypanosoma brucei gambiense. Sera from 100 patients infected with T.b. gambiense, 26 patients infected with T.b. rhodesiense and 707 individuals without trypanosomiasis, including 132 malaria seropositives, have been tested. At serum dilution 1:16, sensitivity of the test was 91% for the T.b. gambiense and 42.3% for the T.b. rhodesiense group. Specificity was over 99%. The reagent remained stable at +/- 6 degrees C for at least 3 months. Reagent kept at 37 degrees C for 3 months retained its sensitivity and showed a slight decrease in specificity.