Extraction of skin test activity from Coccidioides immitis mycelia by water, perchloric acid, and aqueous phenol extraction.

Water, perchloric acid extracts, and fractions of partially defatted whole mycelia of Coccidioides immitis contained delayed skin test activity when tested in C. immitis-infected guinea pits. Aqueous phenol extraction of these fractions resulted in partitioning of activity between aqueous-soluble and phenol-soluble fractions; activity was found to be water soluble after removal of phenol by extensive dialysis. Highest specific activity skin test antigen was invariably found in the phenol-soluble phase, water-soluble fraction. Material of equivalent activity could also be extracted directly from the defatted mycelia. Skin test active fractions contained glucose, mannose, 3-O-methylmannose, glucosamine, and amino acids.