Detection of IgG and IgM antibodies to purified keratinolytic proteinase in sera from patients with dermatophytosis by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

Serum samples from patients with dermatophytosis and those from controls were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detecting specific antibodies of the IgG and IgM classes against purified keratinolytic proteinase from Microsporum canis. Of the 130 sera tested from patients with dermatophytosis, 71 showed reactive results in the ELISA to antihuman IgG antibodies (IgG-ELISA) and 38 in the ELISA to antihuman IgM antibodies (IgM-ELISA). Of the 50 sera from controls, who were free from mycotic infection, and consisted of healthy blood donors and dermatological outpatients, 47 showed nonreactive results in the IgG-ELISA and 49 in the IgM-ELISA. There were significant differences in specific IgG and IgM antibody reactivities according to the duration of infection. That is, the specific IgG reactivity tended to be increased in cases with a longer duration of infection but IgM reactivity increased with a shorter duration of infection.