Sporotrichin Skin Test
A skin test uses an antigen generated from laboratory grown S. schenckii to challenge the patient's immune system. The antigen is intradermally injected and the test is interpreted 48 hours later. Erythema at the site of injection indicates a positive response. The major advantage of this test is its rapidity and ease of use. Although it provides results more quickly than a fungal culture, the sporotrichin skin test has some important limitations. Cross reactions with other fungal species as well as positive reactions in healthy individuals have been observed. In addition, the term "sporotrichin" does not indicate a specific molecule but only any antigen derived from S. schenckii. The specific antigen used in skin testing is not standardized with multiple studies being conducted with widely varying preparations. However, owing to its simplicity, skin testing remains the method of choice for large scale epidemiological investigations.
Read more about this topic: Sporothrix Schenckii, Diagnostic Tests
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