Blood draw
Candida albicans (Antigen, IgA, and IgG)
Candida antigen and serology; fungal infection.
€ 87,00
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Infections · Blood
Candida antigen
Looks for particles of the yeast Candida in the blood; intended for seriously ill patients or people with a weak immune system.
At a glance
- Measured in blood
- In 1 test panel
- No special preparation
Explanation
Candida antigen: what is measured?
An antigen is a particle of a pathogen, in this case of the yeast Candida. In an invasive Candida infection (systemic candidiasis), where the yeast is in the blood or in organs, such particles can enter the blood. The test is an agglutination test: particles coated with antibodies clump together if there is Candida antigen in the blood. The result is given as a titer, which is how far the blood can be diluted and still give a reaction. So unlike an antibody test, this test does not look for the reaction of your immune system, but for the yeast itself. The laboratory sends the blood for this test to an external laboratory.
What can it detect?
- A possible invasive Candida infection (yeast in the blood or organs) in seriously ill patients or people with a weakened immune system, together with blood cultures and other tests
- A possible cause of unexplained fever in patients in intensive care or with a weakened immune system
Result
What does the result mean?
Positive result
A positive result may fit an invasive Candida infection, but only if the situation fits too: someone who is seriously ill, for example in intensive care, after major abdominal surgery or with a severely reduced immune system. In someone who feels healthy, the chance of such an infection is very small, and a positive result is more likely to be a false positive than a sign of disease. A superficial infection such as thrush or a vaginal yeast infection cannot be shown with this test, and neither can a 'Candida overgrowth' in the gut. The result is always assessed together with cultures and the clinical picture.
Negative result
A negative result means that no Candida antigen was found; in people without serious illness, this is the expected result. In hospital patients, a negative result does not rule out an invasive infection, because the antigen may be in the blood only briefly or in small amounts. That is why blood cultures remain the basis of the diagnosis.
After an abnormal result
A positive result in someone who is not seriously ill usually does not lead to treatment; the GP assesses whether there are symptoms that point to an infection and usually does not repeat the test. If an invasive infection is truly suspected, assessment in hospital is needed, with blood cultures and imaging if needed.
Reliability
How reliable is the test?
The test is meant as an addition in seriously ill patients; even then, according to the SWAB guideline on invasive fungal infections, the diagnosis rests on cultures. According to the laboratory, the test is intended when systemic candidiasis is suspected and for unexplained fever in intensive care patients and people with a weakened immune system. There are no Dutch data on how well this agglutination test finds or rules out an infection. In people without symptoms, the chance of an invasive infection is so small that a positive result will almost always be a false positive.
What can affect the result?
- For people without symptoms, there are no data on the reliability of this test.
- A single measurement can miss an infection; in hospital, it is therefore measured more often and combined with cultures.
- Methods and cut-off values for the titer differ between laboratories; results from different laboratories cannot simply be compared.
Who it is for
Who is the test useful for?
Useful for
The result says the most in seriously ill people: the laboratory lists suspected systemic candidiasis and unexplained fever in intensive care patients and people with a weakened immune system as indications, and then as an addition to cultures in hospital. In people without symptoms, and with symptoms such as tiredness, a bloated feeling or bowel symptoms, the result says little, because an invasive Candida infection hardly ever occurs outside the hospital. A yeast infection of the mouth, skin or vagina can be recognized from the affected area itself and, if needed, shown with a culture.
How common is it?
In many people, Candida lives on the skin and mucous membranes without causing symptoms, for example in the mouth, gut and vagina. Superficial infections such as thrush in babies and a vaginal yeast infection are common and can be recognized without a blood test. An invasive Candida infection, where the yeast is in the blood or in organs, occurs almost only in seriously ill patients in hospital.
Thuisarts.nl and the SWAB guideline on invasive fungal infections
Drawbacks and risks
- In people without symptoms, a positive result is almost always a false positive and can cause a lot of worry and unnecessary tests.
- A negative result says nothing about superficial yeast infections of the mouth, skin or vagina.
Get tested
Candida antigen: test panels
Candida antigen is part of these test panels. You order online and have your blood drawn at a collection point or collect the sample at home.
Evidence
Sources
This explanation is based on Dutch guidelines and independent information. It is general information, not a diagnosis. Discuss an abnormal result with your GP.
More about risks and resultsMore explanations
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