Use of Aspergillus fumigatus mycelial antigens in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and counter-immunoelectrophoresis.

Antigens obtained from the ruptured mycelium of Aspergillus fumigatus were separated on the basis of their attachment or non-attachment to Concanavalin A-linked Sepharose gel. They were analysed by double-diffusion and two-dimensional immunoelectrophoresis with rabbit antiserum and sera from patients with aspergillus-related disease. Their sensitivity was assessed in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for immunoglobulin G. Sera which gave very low or high extinction readings on ELISA gave, in general, comparable results on counter-immunoelectrophoresis; but weak electrophoretic reactions were not closely paralleled by ELISA results. The unfractionated extract and the fraction bound by Concanavalin A-Sepharose had similar ability to detect specific IgG in sera from patients with aspergillosis.