MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODY CAPTURE ENZYME-IMMUNOASSAY FOR DETECTION OF PARACOCCIDIOIDES-BRASILIENSIS ANTIBODIES IN PARACOCCIDIOIDOMYCOSIS

Four murine monoclonal antibodies (MAbs 17C, 21A, 21F, and 32B) raised against the 43-kDa glycoprotein of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis were tested in a capture enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for the detection of spe cific human anti-gp43 immunoglobulin G in patients with paracoccidioid omycosis (PCM). All MAbs reacted similarly in the assay. These MAbs, w hich detected anti-gp43 at levels of as low as 500 pg/ml, were demonst rated to specifically recognize at least two different epitopes in gp4 3 binding assays. Specific antibodies in the sera of patients with act ive PCM were detected at dilutions of as high as 1:819,200, and the re activities of patient sera, as measured by optical densities, were fou nd to be significantly higher than those of control sera. The comparis on between classical ELISA and our capture enzyme immunoassay showed t hat both sensitivity and specificity were greatly improved by the latt er. These MAbs represent the first specific reagents to P. brasiliensi s described for use in serological tests for PCM.