Patients with Chronic-form Paracoccidioidomycosis Present High Serum Levels of IgE Anti-paracoccidioides brasiliensis Gp70

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a disease caused by the Paracoccidioides genus, which includes P. brasiliensis and the new phylogenetic species P. lutzii . Resistance to this infection has been correlated with a Th1 pattern of cellular immune response, while susceptibility is correlated to an intense humoral immune response with an increase in IgE levels. Serum levels of IgE and IgG anti-gp70 and anti-exoantigen in chronic PCM were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results showed a higher gp70 concentration in somatic antigen (SA) than in cell-free antigen (CFA) preparation and significantly higher levels of IgE and IgG anti-gp70 in chronic PCM patients’ serum ( n = 12) than in normal human serum ( n = 12) ( p