ELISA kit for the detection of Candida albicans IgM in the research laboratory

Invasive candidal mycosis (synonyms: candidosis, candidiasis) account for more than 80% of the cases of deep-seated mycoses in Germany. This incidence is similar to those of other industrial countries. The main causative agent is the yeast Candida albicans, which is the only fungal species belonging to the "normal" microflora. Candida albicans has a low pathogenic potential, which rarely allows it to infect a healthy host. Rather, in immunosuppressed patients it may cause several diseases as an opportunistic pathogen. In candidal mycosis three types of disease can be distinguished. First, Candida albicans can infect the skin and the mucous membranes of the outer genitals, mouth, respiratory tract and digestion tract. Second, skin and mucous membranes may be infected, encouraged by factors like pregnancy, diabetes mellitus, immunodeficiency and therapies with cytostatics or antibiotics. Third, the infestation of the inner organs, for example the lungs in a Candida sepsis can cause death in immunosuppressed patients with a cellular  immunodeficiency. Serological tests are frequently used to ascertain the clinical significance of Candida spp. isolates. Rising titers of lgG antibodies to Candida albicans may reflect invasive candidiasis in immunocompetent patients.  The detection of IgA and IgM antibodies is important to identify a fresh infection. Immunosuppressed patients  often fail to produce antibodies, so a negative antibody test does not necessarily rule out the disease. In this  case the use of an antigen detection test is recommended. Besides the detection of antibodies and antigen,  the site of manifestation, the number of colony-forming units, and the concomitant use of antimycotics must  be considered.