[The significance of Candida serology based on cell wall antigens].
The article reviews the state of the art in detecting anti-Candida antibodies directed against cell wall mannans. Experience in this field was collected over more than four decades. The mannan antigens of Candida spp. are well characterized serologically and biochemically. Candida mannans are immunogenically potent antigens to which the host's immune system reacts regularly. The human host is not immunologically naïve towards Candida albicans. Clinical and laboratory evaluation of methodologies detecting anti-Candida antibodies must essentially regard the pathogenetic particularities of candidaemia and candidosis with their opportunistic characters.