Mannan antigenemia in the diagnosis of invasive Candida infections

Abstract

Because it is often difficult to diagnose invasive Candida infections, a sensitive hemagglutination inhibition assay to detect the surface antigen, mannan, was developed. Mannan antigenemia was detected early in the course of infection in 4 of 14 patients with systemic candidiasis and 2 of 5 patients with invasive gastrointestinal candidiasis. Mannan was not detected in 48 patients with noninvasive Candida or other systemic myotic infections or in 99% of 234 patients in other control groups. Mannan antibodies were almost universally present in both candidiasis and control groups. In 4 patients with systemic candidiasis, an early period of mannan antigenemia was followed by a rapid rise in mannan antibody titer. These findings suggest that antemortem diagnosis would be improved in one third of cases of invasive Candida infection detected by the hemagglutination inhibition assay. A positive test for serum mannan would be an early and specific signal of invasive disease.