Comparison of D-arabinitol, candida antigen, and beta-glucan, measured by the chromogenic limulus assay, in the rabbit model of systemic candidiasis

In this study, we measured D-arabinitol, candida antigen and beta-glucan in the rabbit model of systemic candidiasis. It was recently reported that the factor G, one of the coagulation enzymes from the horseshoe crad amebocyte lysate, reacts with beta-glucan or polysaccharide from fungus, and not with endotoxin. The newly developed endotoxin specific chromogenic Limulus assay (endospecy test), which is devoid of factor G, did not react with any rabbit serum. But the beta-glucan measured by the conventional Limulus assay (toxicolor test), which contains the factor G, was elevated (from 10 pg/ml to 100 pg/ml) in all cases of rabbit model of system candidiasis. Serum D-arabinitol, measured by Sone's enzymatic fluorometric method, increased in all cases, but Cand-Tec (candida detection system by latex agglutination) showed only one positive case in five innoculated rabbits.