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HelpTest Code SCOC Coccidioides Antibody, Complement Fixation and Immunodiffusion, Serum
Reporting Name
Coccidioides Ab, CompF/ImmDiff, SUseful For
Diagnosis of coccidioidomycosis using serum specimens
Method Name
Complement Fixation (CF)
Immunodiffusion
Performing Laboratory
Mayo Clinic Laboratories in Rochester
Specimen Type
SerumOrdering Guidance
This test is a confirmatory assay for positive screening tests (ie, enzyme immunoassay).
The recommended test to evaluate for possible Coccidioides infection is COXIS / Coccidioides Antibody Screen with Reflex, Serum.
Specimen Required
Collection Container/Tube:
Preferred: Serum gel
Acceptable: Red top
Submission Container/Tube: Plastic vial
Specimen Volume: 1.8 mL
Collection Instructions: Centrifuge and aliquot serum into plastic vial.
Specimen Minimum Volume
1.2 mL
Specimen Stability Information
| Specimen Type | Temperature | Time | Special Container |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serum | Refrigerated (preferred) | 14 days | |
| Frozen | 14 days |
Reject Due To
| Gross hemolysis | Reject |
| Gross lipemia | Reject |
Reference Values
COMPLEMENT FIXATION
Negative
If positive, results are titered.
IMMUNODIFFUSION
Negative
Results are reported as positive, negative, or equivocal.
Day(s) Performed
Monday through Friday
CPT Code Information
86635 x 3
LOINC Code Information
| Test ID | Test Order Name | Order LOINC Value |
|---|---|---|
| SCOC | Coccidioides Ab, CompF/ImmDiff, S | 87435-4 |
| Result ID | Test Result Name | Result LOINC Value |
|---|---|---|
| 8295 | Coccidioides Ab, CompF, S | In Process |
| 21649 | Coccidioides, IgG, ImmDiff, S | 62459-3 |
| 21648 | Coccidioides, IgM, ImmDiff, S | 62458-5 |
Clinical Information
Coccidioidomycosis (valley fever, San Joaquin Valley fever) is a fungal infection found in the Southwestern US, Central America, and South America. It is acquired by inhalation of arthroconidia of Coccidioides immitis/posadasii. Usually, it is a mild, self-limiting pulmonary infection. Less commonly, chronic pneumonia may occur, progressing to fibronodular, cavitary disease. A rash often develops within a day or 2, followed by erythema nodosum or multiforme and accompanying arthralgias. About 2 weeks after exposure, symptomatic patients develop fever, cough, malaise, and anorexia; chest pain is often severe. Coccidioidomycosis may disseminate beyond the lungs to involve multiple organs, including the meninges.
IgG antibody is detected by the complement-fixation tests. Precipitating antibodies (IgM and IgG) are detected by immunodiffusion. They are rarely found in cerebrospinal fluid; however, their presence is associated with meningitis. Chronic coccidioidal pulmonary cavities are often accompanied by IgG and IgM precipitating antibodies.
Serologic testing for coccidioidomycosis should be considered when patients exhibit symptoms of pulmonary or meningeal infection and have lived or traveled in areas where C immitis/posadasii is endemic. Any history of exposure to the organism or travel cannot be overemphasized when a diagnosis of coccidioidomycosis is being considered.
Interpretation
Complement Fixation:
Titer results of 1:2 or higher may suggest active disease; however, titers may persist for months after infection has resolved. Increasing complement fixation (CF) titer results in serial specimens are considered diagnostic of active disease.
Immunodiffusion:
The presence of IgM antibodies may be detectable within 2 weeks after the onset of symptoms; however, the antibody may be detected longer than 6 months after infection.
The presence of IgG antibodies parallels the CF antibodies and may suggest an active or a recent asymptomatic infection with Coccidioides immitis/posadasii; however, antibodies may persist after the infection has resolved.
An equivocal result (a band of nonidentity) cannot be interpreted as significant for a specific diagnosis. However, this may be an indication that a patient should be followed serologically.
Over 90% of primary symptomatic cases will be detected by combined immunodiffusion and CF testing.
Cautions
Antibodies (both IgM and IgG) may be present after the infection has resolved.
Method Description
Complement Fixation:
Antibody to coccidioidin in the patient's serum is quantitated by complement fixation (CF). The CF test is a 2-stage test based on the ability of antigen-antibody complexes to bind complement (C'). In the first stage, antigen and antibody combine and fix C'. The second stage is an indicator system in which sheep erythrocytes, sensitized by rabbit anti-sheep red cell antibody (hemolysin), are used to demonstrate the presence of unfixed C'. If the patient's serum contains C'-fixing antibody that reacts with the specific antigen (a positive reaction), C' will be fixed and excess C' will not be available to react with and lyse the sensitized sheep erythrocytes. If no antigen-antibody reaction occurs (a negative reaction), C' will be available to lyse the sheep erythrocytes. The CF titer is determined by the greatest dilution of serum (antibody) in which the sheep erythrocytes are not lysed.(Kaufman L, Kovacs JA, Reiss E: Immunomycology. In: Rose NR, de Macario ED, Folds JD, Lane HC, Nakamura RM, eds. Manual of Clinical Laboratory Immunology. 5th ed. ASM Press; 1997:591-592; Pappagianis D, Zimmer BL: Serology of coccidioidomycosis. Clin Microbiol Rev. 1990;3:247-268; Ramanan P, Wengenack NL, Theel ES: Laboratory diagnosis for fungal infections. A review of current and future diagnostic assays. Clin Chest Med. 2017 Sep;38[3]:535-554. doi: 10.1016/j.ccm.2017.04.013)
Immunodiffusion:
Immunodiffusion (ID) is a qualitative test employed for the detection of precipitating antibodies present in the serum. Soluble antigens of the fungus are placed in wells of an agarose gel filled Petri dish and the patient's serum and a control (positive) serum are placed in adjoining wells. If present, specific precipitate antibody will form precipitin lines between the wells. Their comparison to the control serum establishes the results. When performing the ID test, only precipitin bands of identity with the reference bands are significant.(Kaufman L, Kovacs JA, Reiss E: Immunomycology. In: Rose NR, Macario ED, Folds JD, Lane HC, Nakamura RM, eds. Manual of Clinical Laboratory Immunology. 5th ed. ASM Press; 1997:591-593; Pappagianis D, Zimmer BL: Serology of coccidioidomycosis. Clin Microbiol Rev. 1990 Jul;3(3):247-268. doi: 10.1128/CMR.3.3.247; Ramanan P, Wengenack NL, Theel ES: Laboratory diagnosis for fungal infections. A review of current and future diagnostic assays. Clin Chest Med. 2017 Sep;38[3]:535-554)
Report Available
4 to 7 daysTest Classification
This test has been cleared, approved, or is exempt by the US Food and Drug Administration and is used per manufacturer's instructions. Performance characteristics were verified by Mayo Clinic in a manner consistent with CLIA requirements.Disease States
- Coccidioidomycosis