[Recent evaluation of a Candida hemagglutination test]

The production of the Candida hemagglutination test Roche (C-HAT Roche) has been discontinued by the producer late in 1990. This deficiency is covered by the newly developed Candida hemagglutination test LD (C-HAT LD) (producer: Labordiagnostika Heiden/Westfalen). The test is performed on microtiter plates (V-shape, broadside). The necessary volume of probands' sera is 25 microliters. The range of the antibody titers to be determined ranks from 1:10 until 1:2500. In the evaluation of the C-HAT LD with reference sera compared with the C-HAT Roche the following results were obtained: The antibody titers determined by C-HAT LD differ at maximum by one titer step from those obtained by the C-HAT Roche and are, therefore, comparable. In the C-HAT LD the probands' sera are not preabsorbed with unloaded sheep erythrocytes in order to eliminate unspecific agglutinins. The hitherto existing experience shows that the proportion of probands' sera containing unspecific agglutinins is as low as 2.5%. The repetition of the C-HAT LD with such sera after preabsorption is, therefore, much more economical than generally preabsorbing all probands' sera. In 18% of all tests a prozone phenomenon is observed with the C-HAT LD. In the majority of these sera the titer steps 1:10 and 1:20 show negative reactions. The determination of the antibody titer, however, is not influenced by the prozone phenomenon. Preabsorption of probands' sera eliminates the prozone phenomenon. The C-HAT LD, therefore, replaces the C-HAT Roche completely in all parameters and is technically easier.