All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Antibodies to pneumococcus in serum
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
Pneumococcus ( Streptococcus pneumoniae ) often becomes a causative agent of pneumonia. In young children, it can cause meningitis, and in adults occasionally sepsis. Laboratory diagnosis of pneumococcal infections is based mainly on bacterioscopy (detection of gram-positive diplococci with a capsule of more than 10 pairs in the field of vision in smears stained by Gram and Romanovsky-Giemsa) and bacteriological (culture growth of pneumococci in a dilution of 10 5 μl / ml and above) , serological diagnosis plays an auxiliary role.
Serological diagnosis of pneumococcal infection is aimed at detecting the titer of anticapsular antibodies in the patient's blood serum. The increase in the antibody titer is considered to be diagnostic after 7-10 days for the study of paired sera.
The definition of antibodies to pneumococcus is used to diagnose pneumococcal infection in inflammatory diseases of the lungs, serous and purulent meningitis.
The methods of RIA and ELISA can be used to select patients for vaccination against Streptococcus pneumoniae and to assess its effectiveness.
[