Acta Microbiologica 19. (1972)

1. szám - Geck, P.–Novák, E. K.: The India-ink Immuno-reaction as a New Method for the Rapid Diagnosis of Yeast Strains

Acta microbiol. Acad. Sei. hung. 19, 1 5, 1972 THE 1NDIA-INK IMMUNO-REACTION AS A NEW METHOD FOR THE RAPID DIAGNOSIS OF YEAST STRAINS P. Geck and E. K. Novak Hungarian Army Medical Corps and National Institute of Public Health, Budapest (Received February 28, 1972) Summary. The authors’ earlier immunofluorescence method has been improved for the adequate serological identification of yeasts by the application of the India-ink irninuno­­reaction. The method has been adapted for the rapid identification of the most frequent pathogenic yeast, Procandida albicans. Application of serological methods is necessary in medical mycology and in the other branches of mycology. Adequate serological procedures could avoid the laborious and time-consuming methods used for the identification of yeasts and yeast-like fungi (subsequently, yeasts) [5]. The serological re­latedness of yeast species, however, represents a great difficulty for the tech­nical realization of these methods (complicated procedures, monospecific sera, etc.). Therefore, in medical mycology other rapid diagnostic procedures are often applied for the identification of frequent species (for example, Pro­candida albicans). Such methods are TTC and bismuth agar, different chlamydo­­spore agar media [7], filament production tests in human sera or egg white [8], etc. These procedures are used also as screening tests. However, all these methods, such as the TTC and bismuth agar assay, need an incubation period of 24— 48 hours. Those requiring 1 — 2 hours enable the identification of a single species only, i.e. of Pc. albicans (synonym Candida albicans [6]). The same is the case with the serum and the egg white reactions. Moreover, their application as a screening test is limited by their expensiveness. We have published a version of the immunofluorescence method [3] for the identification of yeasts which ensured the diagnosis in about 30 minutes and specificity was also achieved by simple means, as instead of monospecific sera, serum dilutions, yielding the same selective reaction, were applied. How­ever, the use of this method was also limited because of the need of a fluo­rescence microscope and the expensive, hardly storable conjugate. The India-ink immuno-reaction has been developed for the elimination of the drawbacks of the immunofluorescence method [1, 2]. Experience concerning the mycological adaptability of the method and its usefulness as a means for the rapid diagnosis of Pc. albicans, the most frequent pathogenic yeast species in Hungary [10], are discussed in the following. Acta Microbiologica Acaderr.iae Scientiarum Hungaricae 19, 1972

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