Skip to main content
Journal of Clinical Microbiology logoLink to Journal of Clinical Microbiology
. 1993 Sep;31(9):2550–2552. doi: 10.1128/jcm.31.9.2550-2552.1993

Circulating Candida antigens and antibodies: useful markers of candidemia.

J Gutiérrez 1, C Maroto 1, G Piédrola 1, E Martín 1, J A Perez 1
PMCID: PMC265814  PMID: 8408589

Abstract

To investigate the utility of the 48-kDa antigen from Candida albicans in its commercial form (Directigen; Becton Dickinson) and three other serodiagnostic methods (detection of one antigen by Pastorex Candida [Sanofi Diagnostics Pasteur] and detection of immunoglobulin G [IgG] and IgM antibodies to C. albicans blastoconidia [bioMerieux]) for diagnosis of invasive Candida infection, we conducted a prospective clinical trial among 10 patients with candidemia (group 1), 30 patients colonized by C. albicans (group 2), 20 patients with bacteremia (group 3), and 20 subjects without clinical or microbiological evidence of infection. The Directigen system was positive for at least one serum sample each from eight patients in group 1. In groups 2, 3, and 4, it was positive for only three patients. There was no reaction to the Pastorex system in any of the patients infected with or colonized by C. albicans or in the non-Candida-carrying controls. The IgG antibody concentration oscillated between 100 and 800 (mean, 510 +/- 268) IU/ml for the patients in group 1. In this group, eight patients had IgG antibody levels of > 400 IU/ml. The percentages of persons with IgG antibody levels of > 400 IU/ml in groups 2, 3, and 4 were 43.3, 0, and 0, respectively. Specific IgM antibody was present in all group 1 patients but not in those in groups 2, 3, and 4. The sensitivity and specificity of the Directigen test were 65 and 97.1%, respectively. For the Pastorex test, the sensitivity was 0%. The sensitivity of IgG antibodies was 80%, with a specificity of 81.4%, while the IgM antibodies were 100% specific and sensitive. Both the positive and negative predictive values of specific IgM antibodies appeared to be superior to those of the other three tests.

Full text

PDF
2550

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Araj G. F., Hopfer R. L., Chesnut S., Fainstein V., Bodey G. P., Sr Diagnostic value of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of Candida albicans cytoplasmic antigen in sera of cancer patients. J Clin Microbiol. 1982 Jul;16(1):46–52. doi: 10.1128/jcm.16.1.46-52.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Armstrong D. Problems in management of opportunistic fungal diseases. Rev Infect Dis. 1989 Nov-Dec;11 (Suppl 7):S1591–S1599. doi: 10.1093/clinids/11.supplement_7.s1591. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bailey J. W., Sada E., Brass C., Bennett J. E. Diagnosis of systemic candidiasis by latex agglutination for serum antigen. J Clin Microbiol. 1985 May;21(5):749–752. doi: 10.1128/jcm.21.5.749-752.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bennett J. E. Rapid diagnosis of candidiasis and aspergillosis. Rev Infect Dis. 1987 Mar-Apr;9(2):398–402. doi: 10.1093/clinids/9.2.398. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. DeLozier J. B., 3rd, Stratton C. W., Potts J. R., 3rd Rapid diagnosis of Candida sepsis in surgical patients. Am Surg. 1987 Oct;53(10):600–602. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Deacon A. G. Estimations of serum arabinitol for diagnosing invasive candidosis. J Clin Pathol. 1986 Aug;39(8):842–850. doi: 10.1136/jcp.39.8.842. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Fujita S., Hashimoto T. Detection of serum Candida antigens by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and a latex agglutination test with anti-Candida albicans and anti-Candida krusei antibodies. J Clin Microbiol. 1992 Dec;30(12):3132–3137. doi: 10.1128/jcm.30.12.3132-3137.1992. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Gutiérrez J., Leon C., Matamoros R., Nogales C., Martín E. Catheter-related bacteremia and fungemia. Reliability of two methods for catheter culture. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis. 1992 Sep-Oct;15(7):575–578. doi: 10.1016/0732-8893(90)90033-r. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Gutiérrez J., Liébana J. Immunological methods for the detection of structural components and metabolites of bacteria and fungi in blood. Ann Biol Clin (Paris) 1993;51(2):83–90. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Herent P., Stynen D., Hernando F., Fruit J., Poulain D. Retrospective evaluation of two latex agglutination tests for detection of circulating antigens during invasive candidosis. J Clin Microbiol. 1992 Aug;30(8):2158–2164. doi: 10.1128/jcm.30.8.2158-2164.1992. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Lemieux C., St-Germain G., Vincelette J., Kaufman L., de Repentigny L. Collaborative evaluation of antigen detection by a commercial latex agglutination test and enzyme immunoassay in the diagnosis of invasive candidiasis. J Clin Microbiol. 1990 Feb;28(2):249–253. doi: 10.1128/jcm.28.2.249-253.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Lew M. A. Diagnosis of systemic Candida infections. Annu Rev Med. 1989;40:87–97. doi: 10.1146/annurev.me.40.020189.000511. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Phillips P., Dowd A., Jewesson P., Radigan G., Tweeddale M. G., Clarke A., Geere I., Kelly M. Nonvalue of antigen detection immunoassays for diagnosis of candidemia. J Clin Microbiol. 1990 Oct;28(10):2320–2326. doi: 10.1128/jcm.28.10.2320-2326.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Reiss E., Kuykendall R. J., Kaufman L. Antigenemia in rabbits infected with Candida albicans serotype B: detection by enzyme immunoassay and preliminary characterization of the antigen. J Med Vet Mycol. 1986 Aug;24(4):259–269. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Roboz J., Kappatos D. C., Holland J. F. Role of individual serum pentitol concentrations in the diagnosis of disseminated visceral candidiasis. Eur J Clin Microbiol. 1987 Dec;6(6):708–714. doi: 10.1007/BF02013083. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Walsh T. J., Hathorn J. W., Sobel J. D., Merz W. G., Sanchez V., Maret S. M., Buckley H. R., Pfaller M. A., Schaufele R., Sliva C. Detection of circulating candida enolase by immunoassay in patients with cancer and invasive candidiasis. N Engl J Med. 1991 Apr 11;324(15):1026–1031. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199104113241504. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES