ABSTRACT
Serologic diagnosis, while predominately experimental, can be made through the detection of antibody in the serum. Immunodiffusion (ID) and indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) assays have been used for the detection of antibody in suspected cases [320-322]. The ID assay as described by Selchon et al. [320] used rabbit anti-Po mameffei antibodies tested against antigens made from 10 species of Penicillium. The serum reacted with only P. mameffei-derived antigen. Conversely, rabbit antisera made against five Aspergillus spp., four systemic dimorphic fungi, and three thermophilic actinomycetes showed no crossreactivity with the P. mameffei antigen preparation. Viviani et al. used the ID assay [321] to follow the serological response of an AIDS patient infected with P. mameffei. They followed this patient over a 5-month period and collected 13 sera. They then compared undiluted serum to two-fold concentrated serum and found that the concentrated serum was more sensitive (10/13) than the unconcentrated serum (3/13). They were unable to detennine the true sensitivity of this assay as this patient was being treated and was subsequently cured of his infection. There is no known information on the length of time antibody is detectable after treatment or cure. Yuen et al. [322] later developed an IFA assay using whole-cell antigens. All eight confirmed P. mameffei cases were serologically positive with titers of I: 160. None of the sera from patients with other diseases (0/95) or from healthy controls (On8) had titers> I :40. This report, however, did not detennine the assay's specificity against other dimorphic fungi.
