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Rapid Antigen Tests

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Advanced Techniques in Diagnostic Microbiology

Abstract

Immunoassays for the detection of the antigens of microorganisms remain important tools for the diagnosis and management of infectious diseases. Great strides have been made since the introduction of the early precipitation and agglutination assays in increasing the sensitivity, specificity, standardization, and automation of antigen tests (Hage, 1999; Carpenter, 2002; Constantine and Lana, 2003; Peruski and Peruski, 2003). Antigen tests have long been used to detect infectious agents that are difficult, slow, or hazardous to culture. However, antigen detection methods are especially useful for rapid diagnosis, whether in the clinic, emergency department, doctor’s office, or the central laboratory. Recently, simple one-step assays have been introduced that can provide results in 15 min with dramatic benefits to physician decision-making.

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Authors
  1. Sheldon Campbell
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  2. Marie L. Landry
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© 2006 Springer

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Campbell, S., Landry, M.L. (2006). Rapid Antigen Tests. In: Advanced Techniques in Diagnostic Microbiology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-32892-0_3

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