Coccidioides antibody test; Coccidioidomycosis blood test DefinitionCoccidioides complement fixation is a blood test that looks for substances (proteins) called antibodies, which are produced by the body in reaction to the fungus Coccidioides immitis. This fungus causes the disease coccidioidomycosis. How the Test is PerformedHow to Prepare for the TestThere is no special preparation for the test. How the Test will FeelWhen the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain, while others feel only a prick or stinging. Afterward, there may be some throbbing. Why the Test is PerformedThis test is used to detect infection with the fungus that causes coccidioidomycosis, or Valley fever. This condition can cause lung (localized) or widespread (disseminated) infection. Normal ResultsA normal result means no Coccidioides immitis antibodies are detected in the blood sample. Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or test different samples. Talk to your health care provider about the meaning of your specific test results. What Abnormal Results MeanAbnormal results mean that Coccidioides immitis antibodies are present. This can mean that you have a current or past infection. The test may be repeated after several weeks to detect a rise in titer (antibody concentration), which confirms an active infection. In general, the worse the infection, the higher is the titer, except in people with a weakened immune system. There can be false positive tests in people with other fungal diseases such as histoplasmosis and blastomycosis, and false negative tests in people with single lung masses from coccidioidomycosis. RisksThere is little risk involved with having your blood taken. Veins and arteries vary in size from one person to another and from one side of the body to the other. Taking blood from some people may be more difficult than from others. Other risks associated with having blood drawn are slight, but may include:
ReferencesGalgiani JN. Coccidioidomycosis (Coccidioides species). In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 265. Iwen PC, Thompson GR, Wiederhold NP. Mycotic diseases. In: McPherson RA, Pincus MR, eds. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 60. | |
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Review Date: 8/26/2023 Reviewed By: Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Associate Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Associate in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. | |
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Blood test
