Serum Fluorescent Antibody And Immunoglobulin Estimations In Candidosis

The indirect fluorescent antibody technique was used to determine the titre and immunoglobulin class of antibodies to Candida albicans in sera from 65 subjects. In patients with candidosis, antibodies were detected in the three main classes of immunoglobulins; significant titres of IgG were found in 78 per cent. of them, of IgM in 51 per cent., and of IgA in 30 per cent. Some differences were also found in incidence, titre and immunoglobulin class between the four types of candidosis. Serum fractionation by DEAE cellulose chromatography confirmed that antibodies to Candida albicans are found in the three immunoglobulin classes. The concentrations of serum IgG, IgA and IgM were also determined, but these failed to show significant differences between patients and controls. There was no correlation between the fluorescent antibody titre of a particular immunoglobulin class and the corresponding immunoglobulin concentration.