Comparison of antibody responses in chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis and tinea versicolor.

Antibody titers against Candida albicans and Pityrosporum orbiculare, the presumed etiologic agent of tinea versicolor, were determined in normal subjects, and in patients with tinea versicolor or chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis. Whereas antibody against both organisms was found in low titer in normal subjects, a majority of patients with each infection had elevated antibody titers against the infecting organism. Patients infected with one organism did not have elevated titers against the other, and titers against one did not correlate with titers against the other. Therefore, these studies indicate that both of the superficial infections are capable of inducing a significant humoral immune response and that actual infection with the organism rather than mere colonization is required for production of the elevated antibody titers.