Comparative evaluation of the Candida agglutinin test, precipitin test, and germ tube dispersion test in the diagnosis of candidiasis.

Normal sera and sera from burned patients were examined for Candida agglutinin titers, precipitin titers, and the ability to disperse germ tubes of Candida albicans in an attempt to determine whether germ tube dispersion is correlated with Candida infection as animal models have indicated. Other investigators have reported that immunoglobulin G antibody to Candida interferes with a serum clumping factor resulting in germ tube dispersion. Germ tube dispersion in sera from burned patients with varying degrees of Candida infection is significantly greater than that found in uninfected controls. In addition, the germ tube dispersion test indicated the presence of Candida infection in several patients who had clinical evidence of infection but no detectable agglutinins or precipitins.