Candidemia was defined as the recovery of C. albicans from blood cultures. Sera from candidemia patients and hospitalized patients (no clinical or microbiological evidence of candidemia) were collected from SH-UF as previously published [61] . Briefly, patients at SH-UF were identified on the day blood cultures were positive for C. albicans. The Infectious Diseases Consultation Service at SH-UF identified controls. Sera were collected and stored at 270uC in the repository at the UF Mycology Research Unit. For patients with candidemia, sera were obtained from the earliest possible date on or after the date that the first positive cultures were drawn. In all cases, this was within 7 days of the first positive culture (acute-phase sera). For ten patients with candidemia, sera were also recovered 4 to 12 weeks after the date on which the first positive cultures were drawn (convalescent-phase sera).