Effect of antigen used in the detection of anti-Candida albicans antibodies.

Antigens of different origins were used in the investigation of anti-Candida albicans antibodies. This can influence the results obtained. We have assayed three different antigenic preparations weekly for 8 weeks in the study of anti-C. albicans antibodies induced by cutaneous, digestive, and systemic inoculations with C. Albicans ATCC 26555 in rabbits free of specific antibodies, and using indirect immunofluorescence (IIF), direct agglutination (DA) and counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE) as serological methods. In IIF and DA, two antigens were used (C. albicans ATCC26555 and C. albicans NCPF3153). In CIE we also used a third commercial antigen. All three somatic antigens were used at three different concentrations. Using IIF and DA the titres obtained with both antigens were similar in different inoculations. The IIF was somewhat earlier in the detection of antibodies, and the titre reached was higher when the antigen used was obtained from the inoculated strain. The detection of precipitins by CIE was in most cases only positive with the antigen obtained from the homologous strain, the highest level being reached in the systemic inoculation.