title: Dinitrochlorobenzene responsivity in disseminated coccidioidomycosis: an inverse correlation with complement-fixing antibody titers.
abstract: The immunologic status of 25 patients with disseminated coccidiodomycosis was evaluated by serum anticoccidioidin complement-fixing antibody levels, coccidiodin skin tests, and dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) sensitization. In the 10 patients who had disseminated disease and a complement-fixing titer of 1:32 or less, responses to DNCB were similar to those of 20 controls. In the 15 patients with disseminated disease and a complement-fixing titer of 1:64 or more, responses to DNCB were statistically significantly diminished compared to controls (p = 0.002). Since the complement-fixing titer is associated with extent of dissemination, these results signify a relationship between diminished DNCB responses and extensive dissemination. Of the several hypotheses which might explain this relationship, we find the most attractive is that of a nonspecific deficiency of cell-mediated immunity developing secondarily to extensive disseminated disease.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000906:Antibodies; D003047:Coccidioidomycosis / Q000276:immunology*; D003168:Complement Fixation Tests; D004137:Dinitrochlorobenzene / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007114:Immunization; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009578:Nitrobenzenes / Q000276:immunology*; D012882:Skin Tests
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D004137:Dinitrochlorobenzene; D009578:Nitrobenzenes