Open AccessCorrelation of histoplasma capsulatum polysaccharide antigen with the severity of infection in murine histoplasmosis
Author(s) -
Williams Brian J.,
ConnollyStringfield Patricia,
Bartlett Marilyn,
Durkin Michelle,
Blair Robinette,
Connolly Kathleen,
Wheat L. Joseph,
Garringer Todd,
Tewari Ram P.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
journal of clinical laboratory analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.536
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1098-2825
pISSN - 0887-8013
DOI - 10.1002/jcla.1860050209
Subject(s) - histoplasmosis , spleen , lung , antigen , stain , histoplasma , immunology , pathology , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , histoplasma capsulatum , medicine , staining
We sought to determine if Histoplasma capsulatum polysaccharide antigen (HPA) levels correlate with the extent of infection in murine of histoplasmosis. Separate groups of mice were inoculated intratracheally with varying numbers of H. capsulatum yeast cells. After 1 week, HPA levels and fungal burden (quantitative culture of lung and spleen and histopathologic stain of lung) were determined in lung and spleen, and HPA levels in serum. HPA levels, cultures and histopathological stain results of lung and spleen tissue showed a direct correlation with increasing inoculum size. HPA levels in serum also correlated with the size of inoculum. H. capsulatum antigen in lung correlated with silver stain scores of lung tissue, (R = 0.948, P <0.001) and with quantitative culture scores of lung, (R = 0.929, P <0.001). HPA levels in spleen tissue also correlated with spleen culture scores, (R = 0.724, P <0.001). These results indicate that determination of HPA level in serum and tissue may be a useful test in evaluating the severity of diseases as well as efficacy of antifungal therapy in histoplasmosis.