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The concentration of pneumococcal capsular antigen (PCA) in saliva was examined in 44 Thai children aged between 2 months and 2 years admitted with community-acquired pneumonia and in 52 healthy controls. None of the children with pneumonia had a positive blood culture. PCA was detected by latex agglutination in the saliva of 12/44 (27%) children with pneumonia compared with 9/52 (17%) of the controls. More cases than controls had a PCA titre > or = 10 (9/44 (20%) vs 1/52 (2%), p < 0.01). Three of the five cases with a saliva PCA titre > or = 1000 were urine PCA antigen-positive. The salivary PCA titres were higher, but not significantly, in children with heavier pneumococcal carriage. Quantitative measurement of PCA in the saliva may be valuable in helping to make an aetiological diagnosis in children with pneumonia.

Original publication

DOI

10.1080/02724936.2000.11748127

Type

Journal

Ann Trop Paediatr

Publication Date

06/2000

Volume

20

Pages

161 - 163

Keywords

Antigens, Bacterial, Case-Control Studies, Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, Infant, Male, Pneumonia, Pneumococcal, Prospective Studies, Saliva, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Thailand