Source
Division of Mycoplasmology, Bacteriology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Dr ALM PG Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Chennai, India.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES:
Cold agglutinin (CA) titers are one among the first pathological indicators for diagnosing Mycoplasma pneumoniae disease. We prospectively studied the prevalence of CAs in 300 HIV-positive and 75 HIV-negative individuals with respiratory disease in Chennai, India.
METHODS:
The cold agglutination test was used and retrospectively compared with the results of a particle agglutination test.
RESULTS:
While CAs were positive in 51 HIV cases, particle agglutination test detected anti-M pneumoniae antibodies from 43 cases with HIV disease (P = .001). The seroprevalence of CAs was 2.6% (n = 2) among HIV-negative participants. The mean CD4 count in CApositive and -negative HIV cases was 107.4 + 121.2 and 259.2 + 247.2 cells/microL (P = .001), respectively.
CONCLUSION:
Our report suggests a basis for the existence of CAs in HIV-positive cases. Definitive diagnosis may be done only when CA detection is used in conjunction with a specific test.