Diagnosis of disseminated histoplasmosis by detection of Histoplasma capsulatum antigen in serum and urine specimens. 1986

L J Wheat, and R B Kohler, and R P Tewari

The diagnosis of Histoplasma capsulatum infection by serologic testing for the presence of antibodies is limited by a high rate of false positive and false negative results and by the requirement that the patient have a normal immune response. We have developed a radioimmunoassay for the detection of H. capsulatum antigen in urine and serum specimens. Antigenuria was noted in 20 of 22 episodes of disseminated histoplasmosis that occurred in 16 patients, in 6 of 32 patients with self-limited infection, in 2 of 32 patients with cavitary histoplasmosis, and in 4 of 8 patients with a sarcoid-like illness caused by H. capsulatum. The detection of antigen in urine was reproducible in 38 of 41 (93 percent) retests of specimens. H. capsulatum antigen was also detected in the serum during 11 of the 22 episodes of disseminated histoplasmosis, in none of the 12 episodes of other types of histoplasmosis in patients with antigenuria, in 1 of the 33 patients with histoplasmosis who lacked the urinary antigen, and in none of the 50 controls. Antigenemia and antigenuria decreased after initiation of antifungal therapy and recurred in patients who had a relapse. We conclude that this radioimmunoassay for H. capsulatum antigen represents a useful new method for the rapid diagnosis of disseminated histoplasmosis.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007106 Immune Sera Serum that contains antibodies. It is obtained from an animal that has been immunized either by ANTIGEN injection or infection with microorganisms containing the antigen. Antisera,Immune Serums,Sera, Immune,Serums, Immune
D011863 Radioimmunoassay Classic quantitative assay for detection of antigen-antibody reactions using a radioactively labeled substance (radioligand) either directly or indirectly to measure the binding of the unlabeled substance to a specific antibody or other receptor system. Non-immunogenic substances (e.g., haptens) can be measured if coupled to larger carrier proteins (e.g., bovine gamma-globulin or human serum albumin) capable of inducing antibody formation. Radioimmunoassays
D006658 Histoplasma A mitosporic Onygenales fungal genus causing HISTOPLASMOSIS in humans and animals. Its single species is Histoplasma capsulatum which has two varieties: H. capsulatum var. capsulatum and H. capsulatum var. duboisii. Its teleomorph is AJELLOMYCES capsulatus. Ajellomyces capsulatus,Cryptococcus capsulatus,Emmonsiella capsulata,Histoplasma capsulatum,Histoplasmas
D006660 Histoplasmosis Infection resulting from exposure to the fungus HISTOPLASMA. African Histoplasmosis,Disseminated Histoplasmosis,Histoplasma duboisii Infection,Pulmonary Histoplasmosis,Histoplasma Infection,Histoplasma capsulatum Infection,Histoplasma Infections,Histoplasma capsulatum Infections,Histoplasma duboisii Infections,Histoplasmosis, African,Histoplasmosis, Disseminated,Histoplasmosis, Pulmonary,Infection, Histoplasma,Infection, Histoplasma capsulatum,Infection, Histoplasma duboisii
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000946 Antigens, Fungal Substances of fungal origin that have antigenic activity. Fungal Antigen,Fungal Antigens,Antigen, Fungal

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