Browsing by Author "Achom, Linda"

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    Reagent Strips as an Aid to Diagnosis of Neonatal Meningitis in a Resource-limited Setting
    (Journal of tropical pediatrics, 2019) Burgoine, Kathy; Ikiror, Juliet; Naizuli, Ketty; Achom, Linda; Akol, Sylivia; Olupot-Olupot, Peter
    Without early recognition and treatment, neonatal meningitis (NM) has a high mortality and morbidity. Although some neonates have features of NM, many do not. In many low-resource settings, the laboratory support to diagnose NM is not available, and bedside diagnostics are needed. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in a neonatal unit in Uganda. Clear cerebrospinal fluid samples were routinely screened for glucose, protein and leukocytes on a ComburVR -10 urinalysis reagent strip. A definitive diagnosis was made using laboratory analysis. The results of the screening and definitive tests were compared. Results: The reagent strip showed moderate sensitivity and high specificity for leukocytes 10 106 cells/l, high sensitivity for protein 100 mg/dl and high specificity for glucose<50 mg/dl. Conclusion: The use of reagent strips has the potential to improve and hasten the diagnosis of probable NM in settings where adequate or timely laboratory support is not available.