Best rapid diagnostic test for etiology of acute pyogenic meningitis is?

ANSWER: (C) Latex agglutinationREF: Clinical approach to infection in the compromised host by Robert H. Rubin, Lowell S. Young Page 175* Latex agglutination test is more rapid and sensitive than the counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE) in detection of etiological agent of pyogenic (bacterial) meningitis.One of these rapid diagnostic tests (preferably latex agglutination) should be performed on all CSF specimens from patients in whom bacterial meningitis is suspected if the CSF indices are consistent with the diagnosis and the CSF Gram stain is negativeLysate prepared from amoebocytes of horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus, is useful in suspected cases of gram negative meningitis in wThich positive test is due to presence of endotoxins.Recently procalcitonin has been evaluated s a marker to differentiate bacterial from viral meningitis