The relationship of common saprophytic and pathogenic fungi to the Forssman and other antigens of the sheep erythrocyte

Summary 1) Culture filtrates and mats from 20 different species of fungi cultured on Sabouraud dextrose broth and asparagine synthetic medium were examined for the presence of Forssman activity utilizing a hemolysis inhibition test.2) None of the uninoculated media contained any Forssman activity.3) Seventeen of the fungi exhibited no such activity.4) Single preparations of mats ofCandida tropicalis, Fusarium moniliforme andHistoplasma capsulatum appeared to contain Forssman activity. Further studies, however, employing different preparations of these fungi in the hemolysis inhibition test and the initial preparations in an hemagglutination inhibition test did not corroborate the original findings.5) Preparations of three of seven different fungi, none of which possessed Forssman activity, were found to contain blood group A activity.6) Preparations of six different fungi without Forssman activity, including the three with the blood group A properties, were found not to inhibit the anti-sheep erythrocyte agglutinins in the serum from a patient with infectious mononucleosis.7) The importance of the sheep erythrocyte as a heterogenetic antigen is discussed.This study was supported in part by USPHS GRANTS A1-01478-07, 5 T1 A1 52-05 and 5T1-AM-5265-05 and the Dermatologic Research Foundation of California, Inc.