False-positive complement-fixation serology in histoplasmosis. A retrospective study.
A review of the records of 79 consecutive patients who had a positive immunodiffusion or complement-fixation test for histoplasmosis showed 28 (35%) with false-positive serologic results in relation to their clinical significance. Twelve patients (15%) had complement-fixation titers of 1:32 or greater, without cultural or histological evidence of active infection. No common clinical or laboratory finding could be correlated with the presence of false-positive tests. The latter finding correlates well with the incidence of false-positive complement-fixation titers (12%) in the normal random patient population.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000032:analysis; D003168:Complement Fixation Tests; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006660:Histoplasmosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000908:Antibodies, Fungal