DEVELOPMENT OF SPECIFIC FLUORESCENT-ANTIBODY TEST FOR TISSUE FORM OF PENICILLIUM-MARNEFFEI

The diagnosis of penicilliosis marneffei can be difficult because the clinical manifestations mimic those of tuberculosis, histoplasmosis, a nd other mycotic infections, Furthermore, the tissue form of Penicilli um marneffei can be confused with those of Histoplasma capsulatum and Cryptococcus neoformans, To facilitate the rapid detection and identif ication of P. marneffei in clinical materials, we sought to develop a specific indirect fluorescent-antibody (IFA) reagent for this dimorphi c pathogen, Preliminary IFA studies with yeast-like cells (fission art hroconidia) of P. marneffei indicated that these cellular elements sta ined with antiglobulins against culture filtrate antigens and whole ye ast-like cellular antigens, Both types of antiglobulins reacted with t he yeast-like cells of P. marneffei and with H. capsulatum, but not wi th their respective mycelial forms. The antiglobulins also failed to r eact with the yeast and hyphal forms of a variety of other heterologou s fungi. Specific antiglobulins useful in an IFA test for identifying P. marneffei yeast-like cells in culture or in clinical materials were produced by adsorptions with yeast-form cells of H, capsulatum, The y east-like culture filtrate antigens of P, marneffei are preferred for use in the production of the specific antiglobulins because they stain ed P. marneffei yeast-like elements more intensely than antiglobulins produced against intact yeast-like cells.