Background :
The several screening tests to avoid transmission of infection by transfused blood or transplanted organ have been done. However, the frequency of positive result in Korea and the relationship between the result of each test is still unclear.
Cand-Tec test is a latex agglutination test to screen candida antigen in the serum. The sensitivity and specificity of this test is controversial. Therefore, we studied the frequency of positive result of each screenig test for donor selection,
the
relationship between the result of each test, and the sensitivity and specificity of Cand-Tec agglutination test.
Methods:
Hepatitis B virus surface antigen(HBsAg), cytomegalovirus IgM antibody (Anti-CMV IgM), and human immunodeficiency virus antibody (Anti-HIV) were investigated by ELISA in 14, 302 volunteer blood and organ donors following manufacturer's
directions
(Enzygnost, Behring, Germany). Cardiolipin flocculation antigen(Difco, Detroit, U.S.A) was used to test VDRL. Candida antigen was tested using Cand-Tec (Ramco Laboratories Inc., Houston, Texas, U.S.A) and the serum was diluted 1 to 4 finally.
Cold
agglutinin was determined by tube method. Cand-Tec test was performed in 24 patients with invasive candidiasis to determine sensitivity.
Results:
The frequencies of positive result of each screening test in healthy donors were as follow: VDRL 0.5%, HBsAg 2.7%, anti-CMV IgM 0.46%, Anti-HIV 0.04%, cold agglutinin 0.74%. the Cand-Tec test revealed positive results in 2.27% of healthy
donors(specificity 97%) and 58% in invasive candidiasis patients(sensitivity 58%). The positive cases for at least one test were 7.19% and the positive cases for two or more tests were 4.77%. However, there was no significant correlation between
each
positive results.
Conclusions:
We found the positive rate of each serological test in healthy donors. The Cand-Tec test revealed low sensitivity but high specficity. And the results of these tests we studied were not related each other.
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