[Rapid diagnostic methods for fungal infections--using chromogenic limulus tests and enzymatic measurement of D-arabinitol].
Conventional chromogenic limulus test (toxicolor test) reacts with glucan of bakers yeast as well as endotoxin, because toxicolor test contains factor G which is sensitive to glucan and polysaccharide of fungus. A new endotoxin specific limulus test (endospecy test) was developed to improve reaction which responded only to endotoxin. The toxicolor test showed the positive reaction to the culture media of candida albicans 7N strain in RPMI 1640 medium, but the endospecy test did not. D-arabinitol, measured by fluometric enzymatic method, also was positive to culture media. These results suggested that a combination of the toxicolor and the endospecy test and enzymatic measurement of D-arabinitol could be applied to rapid diagnostic methods of fungal infection.