The use of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in the diagnosis of farmer's lung.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was adapted to measure antibodies against Aspergillus fumigatus, Thermoactinomyces vulgaris and Micropolyspora faeni. Mycelial and culture fluid antigens were used separately to analyze antibodies in three study groups: farmer's lung patients, patients with bronchitis and healthy control persons. The mycelial antigen of A. fumigatus gave more positive results than the corresponding culture fluid antigen. The situation was reversed for the actinomycetes. For this reason either a mycelial antigen or a combination of mycelial and culture fluid antigens should be used in ELISA in routine tests. The prevalence and the titers of antibodies against the three microbes detected by ELISA were higher in the farmer's lung group than in the other two groups.