Rapid, economical diagnosis of enteric fever by a blood clot culture coagglutination procedure.

ABSTRACT

Coagglutination tests with Salmonella A, D, Vi, and polyvalent antiserum-sensitized staphylococcal cells were compared with conventional culture methods for detecting salmonellae in ox bile cultures of blood clots from enteric fever patients. The coagglutination tests appeared equally as effective as conventional subculture methods for detecting positive cultures (95% agreement). In addition, the coagglutination method yielded earlier results at reduced cost.