Aim
Serotype-specific assays detecting pneumococcal polysaccharides in bodily fluids are needed to understand the pneumococcal serotype distribution in non-bacteremic pneumonia.
Conclusion
The assay could potentially assess serotype-distribution in non-infected and infected participants with pneumococcal disease.
Methods
We developed a urine antigen detection assay and using urine samples from adult outpatients without pneumonia developed positivity cutoffs for both a previously published 15-valent and the new 21-valent assay. Clinical sensitivity was confirmed with samples from patients with invasive pneumococcal disease.
Results
Total assay precision ranged from 7.6 to 17.8% coefficient of variation while accuracy ranged between 80 and 150% recovery, except for three serotypes where recoveries ranged from 32 to 60%. Clinical sensitivity was 86.4% and specificity was 96.5% across all 30 serotypes.