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Value of Candida antigen and antibody assays for the diagnosis of invasive candidosis in surgical intensive care patients

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Abstract

During a 3-year period, a clinical diagnosis of invasive candidosis was made in 8 out of 2054 consecutive surgical intensive care unit (ICU) patients. These patients were retrospectively matched with 16 control patients who underwent similar surgical procedures and had a similar clinical course except for negative Candida cultures. In all patients, Candida antigen (Ramco CandTec serum antigen test) and antibody serology (Candida HA test) were determined at least once a week during their stay. The antigen test was positive in 1/8 patients and 4/16 controls and thus did not differentiate patients with candidosis from non-infected controls. The HA antibody titer results fulfilled the manufacturer's criteria for positivity in 7/8 patients with candidosis and 2/16 control patients. Thus, the Candida HA antibody test, but not the Ramco antigen test, can be recommended to confirm a clinical diagnosis of invasive candidosis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Section of Hospital Hygiene, Ulm University Hospital, Steinhövelstraße 9, 89075 Ulm, Germany, Germany

    Philipp M. Lepper, Andreas Essig & Matthias Trautmann

  2. Department of Clinical Anesthesiology, Section of Surgical Intensive Care Medicine, Ulm University Hospital, Steinhövelstraße 9, 89075 Ulm, Germany, Germany

    Heidemarie Wiedeck & Götz Geldner

Authors
  1. Philipp M. Lepper
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  2. Heidemarie Wiedeck
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  3. Götz Geldner
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  4. Andreas Essig
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  5. Matthias Trautmann
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Final revision received: 11 January 2001

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Lepper, P.M., Wiedeck, H., Geldner, G. et al. Value of Candida antigen and antibody assays for the diagnosis of invasive candidosis in surgical intensive care patients. Intensive Care Med 27, 916–920 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s001340100891

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s001340100891

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