APPLICATION OF FLUORESCENT-ANTIBODY PROCEDURES TO THE STUDY OF PATHOGENIC DEMATIACEOUS FUNGI.

Al-Doory, Yousef (Division of Laboratories and Research, New York State Department of Health, Albany) and Morris A. Gordon. Application of fluorescent-antibody procedures to the study of pathogenic dematiaceous fungi. I. Differentiation of Cladosporium carrionii and Cladosporium bantianum. J. Bacteriol. 86:332-338. 1963.-The well-known polymorphism and confusing similarity of cultures of pathogenic dematiaceous molds and other so-called "black yeasts" make individual species difficult to identify and even more perplexing to classify. Serological investigations of antigen relationships have proved of value in previous attempts to resolve these taxonomic problems, but thus far no fluorescent-antibody studies in this field have been reported. In the present investigations, fluorescein-labeled antisera to both Cladosporium carrionii and C. bantianum reacted with a number of dematiaceous species in addition to the homologous organisms, but selective dilution and absorption resulted in conjugates specific for each of these two species. Staining was confined to the periphery of both hyphae and spores, and age was a factor in the affinity of these structures for fluorescent antibody. There is evidence that antigen diffuses centrifugally from the hyphae during growth on agar media.