A Rapid Method for Diagnosis of Deep Fungus Infections by Means of Counter Immunoelectrophoresis

Abstract

We attempted to study on a rapid immunological method for diagnosis of deep fungus infections. Antisera from rabbits immunized with C. albicans, A. fumigatus, C. neoformans, N. asteroides, and Mucor sp. respectively were used for a preliminary study. Capillary precipitin test, Ouchterlony's immunodiffusion test, and counter immunoelectrophoresis (CIE) using rabbit anti-Candida serum were comparatively studied, and the results indicated that CIE was most sensitive.
Sera investigated by CIE were obtained from 13 patients (4 with candidiasis, 6 with aspergillosis, 2 with cryptococcosis, and one with nocardiosis). An exactly compatible diagnosis was obtained by CIE in 12 cases. Occasional non-specific reactions were eliminated with the dilution method (1:1 to 1:8). In 2 patients with pulmonary aspergillosis and one with cryptococcal meningitis, patients' sera were obtained several times during the course. The results of the specific precipitin test by CIE were surprisingly correlated with clinical improvement.
From the results obtained, CIE could be assumed as an useful tool for a serological rapid method to diagnose deep fungus infections, probably including phycomycosis.