Immunodiffusion test for diagnosing basidiobolomycosis

An immunodiffusion test was developed for the diagnosis of basidiobolomycosis. When culture filtrate antigen (CFA) from Basidiobolus ranarum was reacted against two human patient and two rabbit antisera, 2 precipitin bands, inner (N) and outer (Y), were revealed for both patient and rabbit antisera. A line of identity was also observed between precipitin bands obtained with patient and rabbit sera. When CFA from B. ranarum (B CFA) was reacted against rabbit sera which contained antibody to Conidiobolus coronatus and Pythium insidiosum, 1 precipitin band corresponding to inner band (N) was observed. This finding showed that B. ranarum, C. coronatus and P. insidiosum shared at least one common antigen. After B CFA was absorbed with Pythium rabbit antiserum, the inner precipitin line that occurred between B CFA and rabbit antisera of Pythium and Conidiobolus disappeared. However, with Basidiobolus rabbit antiserum, the result did not change. The antigens which could be demonstrated by inner (N) and outer (Y) precipitin bands were heat stable at 56 degrees C for 30 min. The titer of the antibodies specific to these antigens decreased as the lesions subsided. When B. ranarum CFA was reacted against sera from 20 apparently normal persons, 20 diabetes mellitus patients, 5 aspergillosis patients, 2 candidosis patients and 3 pythiosis patients, no precipitin band was found. B. ranarum CFA was also treated with each rabbit antiserum specific to Candida albicans, Malassezia furfur and Aspergillus fumigatus. No precipitin bands occurred with any of these antisera. Thus, this test was found to be practical, sensitive and specific, and can be used to monitor patients infected with Basidiobolus ranarum.