Diagnosis of Deep Infection With Candida

The potential diagnostic value of theCandidaprecipitin test was evaluated in the population of 133 hospitalized patients suspected of having deep infection withCandidaorganisms. Precipitins were found in 26 patients and in 24 (92%) of them deepCandidainfection was documented. Multiple surgery and leukemia were the most frequent underlying conditions among the 26 patients with deep infection withCandida. There were two (2%) false-negative reactions among the 107 patients in whom precipitins were not found.Candidaprecipitins were not found in 87 control subjects or individuals with other fungal diseases. Fifteen (57%) of the 26 patients with deep Candida infection received antifungal therapy and survived. Nine (81%) of the eleven patients who died had not received adequate therapy. The precipitin test may be useful in the early diagnosis of deep infection withCandida.