[Diagnostic value of antibody detection against Candida germ tube antigens in a patient with hepatosplenic candidosis].

In the case of a 53-year-old woman with acute myeloid leukaemia and fever in late aplasia after chemotherapy, invasive mycosis with characteristic involvement of liver and spleen was diagnosed. For the serological identification of Candida in the early phase of the infection, methods for the detection of antibodies against Candida antigens were compared. By ELISA-based detection of IgM and IgG antibodies against a mixture of Candida antigens (ESR 117G and 117M, Virion-Serion, Wurzburg, Germany) evidence for invasive candidosis was obtained significantly earlier (22 days) when compared with the immunofluorescence detection of IgG antibodies against Candida albicans germ tube antigens (Vircell, Granada, Spain). In the case of this patient, the detection of a humoral response against Candida germ tube antigens was of little diagnostic value.