Incidence of serum antibodies to several Aspergillus species and to Candida albicans in cystic fibrosis.

The incidence of serum IgE antibodies to several species of aspergillus and 
the incidence of serum precipitins to these species and to Candida 
albicans were determined in 22 children with cystic fibrosis, 17 children 
with bronchial asthma, and 18 control subjects. IgE antibodies were found 
in 50 per cent of the patients with cystic fibrosis and 
in 29 per cent of the patients with bronchial asthma; none 
was found in the control subjects. Precipitins to aspergillus species were 
present in 59 per cent of the patients with cystic fibrosis, 
35 per cent of the patients with bronchial asthma, and 11 
per cent of the control subjects. Greater differences were noted when 
the total number of precipitin bands in each group was compared. 
There was a trend for the more severe cases of cystic 
fibrosis (based on the Shwachman-Kulczycki score) to have a greater incidence 
of precipitins and a lower frequency of IgE antibodies to aspergillus 
than the milder cases. Candida precipitins were found more frequently in 
patients with cystic fibrosis (45 per cent) than in patients with 
bronchial asthma (18 per cent); none was found in the control 
group. The potential role of fungal hypersensitivity in cystic fibrosis and 
the therapeutic implications are discussed in light of these findings. 