PRODUCTION OF FLUORESCENT ANTIBODY REAGENTS SPECIFIC FOR TISSUE FORM OF COCCIDIOIDES IMMITIS

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Abstract
Five different lots of rabbit Coccidioides immitis antiglobulins were tagged with fluorescein isothiocyanate. These reagents brightly stained endospores and the contents of spherules formed in vivo. The labeled antibodies also cross-reacted with Histoplasma capsulatum, Blastomyces dermatitidis, and other heterologous fungi. Adsorption of these conjugates with yeast cells of H. capsulatum eliminated all nonspecific activity. Two of the adsorbed reagents reacted strongly with the tissue forms of C. immitis. These conjugates had been prepared from globulins produced by rabbits infected with the fungus and by rabbits immunized with killed arthro-spores. By dilution, the former conjugate was also rendered specific for tissue forms of C. immitis. The specific conjugates were successfully used to detect C. immitis in clinical materials from confirmed cases of coccidioidomycosis.