Humoral immunity in vaginal candidiasis

Serum antibody titers to Candida albicans were estimated in 37 women with recurrent vaginal candidiasis and in 148 normal American and Finnish subjects, using the passive-hemagglutination technique. The antibody titers ranged from 0 to 16 in normal individuals and 4 to 256 in vaginal candidiasis patients. Antibodies to C. albicans in the sera of vaginal candidiasis patients were found to be the secretory immunoglobulin A type, as determined by gel filtration and double-diffusion tests. The results were confirmed by the indir-ct fluorescent-antibody technique. Our findings suggest that, in vaginal candidiasis, the antibody response is mainly local, consisting of secretory immunoglobulin A, some of which finds its way into systemic circulation.