The bacteriological diagnosis of pyogenic meningitis from cerebrospinal fluid dried on filter paper

Cerebrospinal fluid from patients with pyogenic meningitis in two rural hospitals in Nigeria was dried on filter paper and sent by post for analysis in a reference laboratory. Microbial antigens were detected by counter-current immunoelectrophoresis in 78 of the 142 specimens (55%). This method of detecting antigens deserves further application for epidemiological and diagnostic work in developing countries.