Immunological diagnosis of systemic candidiasis by counterimmunoelectrophoresis and quantitative immunofluorescence using purified antigens.

The advantages of two different immunological approaches to the diagnosis of systemic candidiasis have been studied. Counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE) using purified cytoplasmic protein antigens and quantitative immunofluorescence (QIF) using purified polysaccharide antigens have proven to be approaches giving better discrimination between systemic and nonsystemic candidiasis. Using CIE and yeast cytoplasmic proteins we obtained nine positive reactions in 12 patients with systemic candidiasis, and none in 23 patients with other types of C albicans infection or in 30 normal healthy controls. Using quantitative immunofluorescence and mycelial polysaccharide antigen we obtained positive reactions in all tested sera from systemic candidiasis patients (14), but we also obtained positive reactions (although generally of lower magnitude) in 4 of 14 patients with localized or mucocutaneous candidiasis. It appears that although neither of the tests has 100% specificity and sensitivity, their use individually or in combination may result in valuable data to assist in establishing a diagnosis of systemic candidiasis.