HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by NEGRO, G. M. B. D. Articles by BENARD, G. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by NEGRO, G. M. B. D. Articles by BENARD, G. Agricola Articles by NEGRO, G. M. B. D. Articles by BENARD, G.

Evaluation of tests for antibody response in the follow-up of patients with acute and chronic forms of paracoccidioidomycosis

GILDA M. B. DEL NEGRO, CRISTIANE N. PEREIRA, HEITOR F. ANDRADE^*, SELMA A. PALACIOS, MÔNICA M. S. VIDAL, CECÍLIA E. CHARBEL and GIL BENARD

Laboratório de Micologia Médica (LIM-53) and *Laboratório de Protozoologia (LIM-49), Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo and Laboratório de Investigação Médica (LIM-56) and Clínica de Doenças Infecciosas e Parasitárias, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

Corresponding author: Dr G. Benard (e-mail: mahong{at}usp.br).

Received 4 Jan. 1999; revised version received 22 June 1999; accepted 23 June 1999.

Abstract

Several serological tests have been used successfully in the diagnosis of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM). In contrast, data about the use of these tests in the follow-up of PCM patients have been heterogeneous. In this study, serum samples from 43 PCM patients with different clinical forms were analysed by counter-immuno-electrophoresis (CIE), complement fixation (CF) and ELISA before treatment. With CIE and ELISA, the chronic unifocal form showed significantly lower antibody levels compared with chronic multifocal and acute forms. Acute form patients had significantly higher titres than patients with multifocal disease by CIE but not by ELISA. No significant differences were observed with CF. Twenty-seven of these patients were followed-up for 2 years and showed a decline in antibody levels by all three tests, paralleling clinical improvement. However, only patients with unifocal disease cleared their antibodies after 1 year of treatment as analysed by CF and ELISA and after 2 years by CIE, suggesting that these patients may need shorter courses of therapy. Patients with the other clinical form of the disease needed 2 years of therapy to clear their antibodies. Sera from a further five patients who presented with a relapse were analysed. At the time of relapse all showed increases in antibody levels by CIE and ELISA, but only three showed increases by CF tests. Therefore, CIE and ELISA demonstrated a better clinical correlation than CF, probably reflecting the fungal burden of PCM patients more accurately.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. Martin-Davila, J. Fortun, R. Lopez-Velez, F. Norman, M. Montes de Oca, P. Zamarron, M. I. Gonzalez, A. Moreno, T. Pumarola, G. Garrido, et al. Transmission of Tropical and Geographically Restricted Infections during Solid-Organ Transplantation Clin. Microbiol. Rev., January 1, 2008; 21(1): 60 - 96. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. JUVENALE, G. M. B. D. NEGRO, A. J. S. DUARTE, and G. BENARD Antibody isotypes to a Paracoccidioides brasiliensis somatic antigen in sub-acute and chronic form paracoccidioidomycosis J. Med. Microbiol., February 1, 2001; 50(2): 127 - 134. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]