Candida antigen detection by a latex agglutination test in candiduria patients

We evaluated a latex agglutination test commercially available in kit form for the identification of Candida pyelonephritis in candiduria patients. Tests were performed on sera from 11 patients with fever and candiduria plus other positive candidal sites (group A), 12 patients were fever and candiduria alone (group B), 17 afebrile patients with candiduria alone (group C), and 27 afebrile patients without documented candiduria or bacteriuria (group D). Positive antigenemia with a titer of 1:4 or greater was detected in 9 candiduria patients with fever: 7 (63.6%) in group A and 2 (16.7%) in group B. The incidence of group B, in which Candida pyelonephritis was strongly suspected, was significantly less than that of group A and did not significantly differ from that of groups C and D. These results suggest that this test has little value in the diagnosis of Candida pyelonephritis without disseminated candidiasis.