Anti-Cryptococcal-Globulin-Latex Production For Rapid Detection of Cryptococcus Neoformans Polysaccharide Antigen in Cryptococcosis

Cryptococcosis has become the fourth leading life-threatening opportunistic infection in patients with aids, but also occursin non-aids patients. in view of the increasing numbers of infection during last decade in iran, use of rapid, sensitive andspecific test for diagnosis of cryptococcal disease has become important than ever. we aimed to produce the reagents forlatex cryptococcal antigen test. the antigen was prepared from ncpf 3168 strain of cryptococcus neoformans. anticapsularantiserum of c. neoformans raised in rabbits and latex carboxylate- modified beads were coated with antiserum. themaximally- reactive globulin dilution was obtained at dilution of 1:400. for evaluation of efficacy of reagents, challenged38 balb/c mice and other 38 mice were used as controls. the mice were bled and autopsied. brain, heart and lung werechecked by direct, histopathological and cultural examination for cryptococcosis. the sera from case and control mice weretested with immunomycologic (immy) kit and also our produced reagents (opr) for detection of cryptococcal antigen.moreover, 15 cerebrospinal fluid and 15 serum samples from patients with cryptococcal meningitis, 30 with aspergillosis,30 with suspected other fungal infections, and 30 from healthy individuals were tested as well. the results showed that thesensitivity (97.3%) and specificity (100%) of opr was quite comparable with those of immy kit . therefore, it could beregarded as a substitute for commercial kits.