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American Journal of Epidemiology Vol. 101, No. 6: 512-516
Copyright © 1975 by The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health

research-article

SPHERULIN AND COCCIDIOIDIN: CROSS-REACTIONS IN DERMAL SENSITIVITY TO HISTOPLASMIN AND PARACOCCIDIOIDIN

H. B. LEVINE1, ANGELA RESTREPO-M2, D. R. TEN EYCK3 and D. A. STEVENS4

1Naval Biomedical Research Laboratory, School of Public Health, University of California Naval Supply Center, Oakland, CA 94625
2Departamento de Microbiología, y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia Apartado Aereo 883, Medellin, Colombia
3Naval Health Research Center San Diego, CA 92152
4Santa Clara Valley Medical Center San Jose, CA 95128

Until recently coccidioidin has been the only antigenic preparation available for detecting delayed dermal sensitivity induced by an experience with Coccidioides immitis. It is prepared from autolysates of the mycelial phase (saprophytic) of the fungus. A more sensitive reagent, spherulin, was developed in 1969 from the spherule phase (parasitic) of the organism. Use of spherulin showed that coccidioidin failed to detect approximately 30% of individuals specifically sensitive to C. immitis. However the potential of spherulin to detect cross-sensitivity induced by Histoplasma capsulatum was unknown. This information was considered to be germane because of the capacity of coccidioidin to detect a histoplasmal experience. Accordingly, both reagents as well as paracoccidioidin were compared simultaneously in 365 Colombian soldiers from areas endemic for histoplasmosis but not for coccidioidomycosis. At standard strength both preparations detected non-specific responses in 0.8% to 3% of the histoplasmin negative and positive subgroups, respectively. At 10-times standard strength both preparations cross-detected histoplasmin sensitivity comparably; 5.1% to 7.1% of histo plasmin-positive subjects reacted with the coccidioidal antigens. No pattern of cross-reactivity was observed between paracoccidioidin sensitivity and sensitivity to the coccidioidal antigens.

coccidioidin; histoplasmin; paracoccidioidin; spherulin


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