Antibodies to antigens of Histoplasma, Blastomyces and Candida in HIV patients and carriers in Nigeria

Serum samples from 60 subjects with confirmed HIV‐1 infection including 28 AIDS patients and 32 carriers were examined by immunodiffusion for precipitating antibodies to antigens of Histoplasma, Blastomyces and Candida. Seven of the subjects, four patients and three carriers, showed antibodies to histoplasmin prepared from mycelial cultural filtrate of Histoplasma capsulatum var. capsulatum and H. capsulatum var. duboisii although without any clinical signs of classical or African histoplasmosis. Another eight subjects comprising five patients and three carriers demonstrated antibodies to yeast cell antigen of Candida albicans; three of the patients had oral lesions clinically suggestive of Candida infection. None of the serum samples revealed antibodies to ‘‘A’’ antigen (yeast cell antigen) of Blastomyces dermatitidis.