Rapid Urinary Antigen Test in Children with Nasophryngeal Pneumococcal Carriage

Objective: To assessment the results of the Binax NOW urinary antigen test in healthy children and the influence of nasopharyngeal pneumococcal carriage on the results of the antigen detection test. Material and Methods: The study was performed on a total of 223 healthy children aged 2-60 months. All the children enrolled and provided both nasopharyngeal swab specimens for culture and urine samples for the antigen detection test (Binax NOW). Results: A total of 24 children (11%) were nasopharyngeal carriers of Streptococcus pneumonia. In 16 of these children (66.5%), the pneumococcal urinary antigen test was positive. False positive and false negative rates were found 33.4% and 8.5%, respectively. Conclusion: It should be considered that a positive Binax NOW test alone is poor for distinguishing the pneumococcal infection from carriage.