[Evaluation of a new commercial test (Candida albicans IFA IgG) for the serodiagnosis of invasive candidiasis].
BACKGROUND
Two tests for the detection of antibodies to Candida albicans germ tubes in patients with invasive candidiasis were compared: a new commercially available test (Candida albicans IFA IgG) and the indirect immunofluorescence test generally used for this purpose.


METHODS
With the use of two indirect immunofluorescence tests, retrospective study was done on 172 sera from 51 patients classified into two groups: Group I included 123 serum samples from 32 patients with invasive candidiasis, and Group II, the control, included 49 serum samples from 19 patients with no evidence of Candida infection.


RESULTS
In Group I, 84% of patients presented anti-germ tube antibody titers >or= 1:160 by the Candida albicans IFA IgG test and 78.1% of patients were positive by the generally used test. There was a high correlation between the two tests (R2 =0.9512 by patients; R2 = 0.8986 by sera). When a titer value of >or= 1:160 was used as cutoff, the Candida albicans IFA IgG test showed a sensitivity of 84.4% and a specificity of 94.7%, whereas the traditional test showed a sensitivity of 78.1% and a specificity of 100%.


CONCLUSIONS
The commercially available Candida albicans IFA IgG test is similar to the test generally used for the detection of antibodies to C. albicans germ tubes and provides faster and easier diagnosis of invasive candidiasis in the clinical microbiology laboratory.
Moragues
María Dolores
MD
Departamento de Enfermería I, Facultad de Medicina y Odontología, Universidad del País Vasco, Bilbao, Vizcaya, España.
Ortiz
Natalia
N
Iruretagoyena
José Ramón
JR
García-Ruiz
Juan Carlos
JC
Amutio
Elena
E
Rojas
Almudena
A
Mendoza
Joaquín
J
Quindós
Guillermo
G
Pontón-San Emeterio
José
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000097:blood*; D000946:Antigens, Fungal / Q000276:immunology; D002175:Candida / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000276:immunology; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D016469:Fungemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D025282:Mycelium / Q000276:immunology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000379:methods
D000908:Antibodies, Fungal; D000946:Antigens, Fungal; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic