AGAR-GEL PRECIPITIN-INHIBITION TEST FOR COCCIDIOIDOMYCOSIS: 1. PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF THE COMPLEMENT-FIXATION AND AGAR-GEL PRECIPITIN TESTS IN SERODIAGNOSIS OF HUMAN COCCIDIOIDOMYCOSIS

The agar-gel precipitin-inhibition serological test for coccidioidomycosis was a more sensitive indicator of Coccidioides immitis antibodies than the tube precipitin, the agar-gel immunodiffusion, or the complement-fixation tests in assaying monkey sera, whether these sera were from perchallenge-vaccinated or postchallenged animals. Generally, when applying this technique to a similar assay of human sera, an analogous finding persisted. However, a few human sera were positive by the complement-fixation test and negative by the agar-gel precipitin-inhibition test. These sera were diffused in agar-gel against various coccidioidin complement-fixation, tube precipitin, and agar-gel precipitin-inhibition test antigens with essentially negative results.