Serological diagnosis of Candida albicans-balanitis and -balanoposthitis.

The Candida hemagglutination test (Candida-HA-Test), the complement fixation, Candida immunofluorescent test (Candida-IF-Test) and the agglutination-test were performed in 34 patients suffering from genital candidosis and in 34 healthy controls. The results obtained were: Candida hemagglutination and complement fixation titers are raised to the same extent in patients suffering from Candida albicans-balanoposthitis when soluble polysaccharide antigens are used in both tests. The high titers indicate a great portion of mercaptoethanol susceptible antibodies in those subjects. When compared with controls, the hemagglutination titers are fourfold lower than those of the patients. There is a four-to-sixfold decrease of the hemagglutination titers performed after mercaptoethanol treatment of the sera in the patients. On the other hand, there is only a twofold decrease of hemagglutination titers in the controls. In chronically infected persons the hemagglutination titers are within the normal range or are raised insignificantly. There is only a twofold decrease in HA-titers after treatment of the sera with mercaptoethanol. On the other hand, the agglutination- and the Candida-IF-titers seem to be elevated as a rule in chronically infected. In those patients the gamma G- and the gamma A-titers are significantly raised, too. The results mentioned above are discussed with regard to their clinical significance.