Candida Antibodies

Commonly present in the body, Candida albicans is a saprophytic yeast that can become pathogenic when the environment favors proliferation or the host's defenses have been significantly weakened.

Candidiasis is usually limited to the skin and mucous membranes but may cause life-threatening systemic infection. Susceptibility to candidiasis is associated with antibacterial, antimetabolic, and corticosteroid therapy as well as with immunologic defects, pregnancy, obesity, diabetes, and debilitating diseases. Oral candidiasis is common and benign in children; in adults, it may be an early indication of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

Diagnosis of candidiasis is usually made by culture or histologic study. When such diagnosis can't be made, identifying Candida antibodies may be helpful in diagnosing systemic candidiasis. Be cautioned that serologic testing to detect antibodies in candidiasis isn't reliable, and investigators continue to disagree about its usefulness.

Purpose

• To aid diagnosis of candidiasis when culture or histologic study can't confirm the diagnosis

Patient preparation

• As appropriate, explain the purpose of the test to the patient.
• Inform him that he needn't restrict food or fluids.
• Tell him that the test requires a blood sample and who will perform the venipuncture and when.
• Reassure him that although he may experience transient discomfort from the needle puncture and the tourniquet, collecting the sample takes less than 3 minutes.

Procedure and posttest care

• Perform a venipuncture, and collect the sample in a 5-ml sterile red-top tube.
• If a hematoma develops at the veni­puncture site, apply warm soaks.

Precautions

• Handle the sample gently to prevent hemolysis.
• Send the sample to the laboratory promptly.
• Note any recent antimicrobial therapy on the laboratory request form.

Normal findings

A normal test result is negative for Candida antibodies.

Abnormal findings

A positive test for C. albicans antibodies is common in patients with disseminated candidiasis. However, this test yields a significant percentage of falsepositive results.

Interfering factors

• Hemolysis due to rough handling of the sample.